The crook in the lot; or, A display of the sovereignty and wisdom of God in the afflictions of men, and the Christian's deportment under them

^
*

LIBRARY

BX 9178 .B668"C7^ 1839
Boston, Thomas, 1677-1732.
The crook in the lot

The John >1I. Krelis Donation.

RECOMMENDATION.

I AM gratified to learn that you are about to
publish Boston's " Crook in the Lot." Few
books contain so much valuable matter within
the same space. It may be considered an ex-
position of God's providence towards his people,
while performing their pilgrimage through this
vale of tears; and was evidently the fruit of
much observation of the dispensations of God,
and of profound acquaintance with the Holy
Scriptures. I do not know that I could point
out a work so well adapted to reconcile the af-
flicted saint to his lot in this world, and at the
same time to teach him how to derive benefit
from those events which are most adverse to his
natural inclinations. I can, therefore, cordially
recommend this little volume to all who desire
wisely to interpret, and faithfully to improve,
the dealings of Providence towards them; espe-
cially in the *' dark and cloudy day" of adver-
sity.

A. Alexander.

THE

CROOK IN THE LOT;

A DISPLAY OF THE

SOVEREIGNTY AND WISDOM OF GOD

IN THE AFFLICTIONS OF MEN,

CHRISTIAN'S DEPORTMENT UNDER THEM.

BY REV, THOMAS BOSTON.

PHILADELPHIA:
WILLIAM S. MARTIEN.

NEW YORK : ROBERT CARTER. — PITTSBURGH : PATTERSON
AND INGRAM.

1839.

PREFACE.

Thomas Boston, the author of The Crook
in the Lot, was born in the town of Diinse,
Scotland, A. D. 1676, of respectable and reli-
gious parentage, and was the youngest of seven
children. He was licensed to preach the Gos-
pel in 1697, and was ordained at Simprin in
1699. In the year 1700 he married Catherine
Brown, a lady of good family and rare endow-
ments of mind ; by her he had a number of
children, four of whom survived him. He de-
parted this life in the hope of a glorious immor-
tality, A.D. 1732, in the 56th year of his age.

In person, Mr. Boston was above the middle
stature, and of a grave and amiable aspect. His
mind was vigorous and fruitful; his imagina-
tion lively but under due restraint; his judg-
ment solid ; his affections warm and tender; and
his whole demeanour courteous, obliging, and
benevolent. Under provocation he was gentle,
and always manifested a delicate regard for the
feelings of others ; but when a just occasion of

Xll PREFACE.

rebuke occurred he was always prompt in ad-
ministering it.

Having become in early life a subject of di-
vine grace, he honoured his profession by a
deportment at once consistent and uniform. He
was pre-eminently a man of prayer, cultiva-
ting a close communion with God, and receiving
many encouraging evidences of his personal ac-
ceptance. The divine providence was carefully
observed and recorded by him in all its opera-
tions, and the law of God was regarded in all
its claims with the most scrupulous exactness.
Tender in conscience, watchful in spirit, and
rich in Christian experience, his effort was to
avoid even the appearance of evil, and to be
fruitful in every good work.

In regard to others, he was affectionate as a
husband, indulgent as a father, and sincere and
faithful as a friend. Not only did he extend his
counsel and sympathy to the distressed, but one
tenth of his annual income was religiously devo-
ted to the relief of the poor.

As a scholar, Mr. Boston was well versed in
the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and French lan-
guages, and in other departments of learning,
was no novice. As a Theologian, his various
works afford the best evidence of his great ac-
quirements, of his sound and judicious views,
and of his skill in defending the truth. In his

PREFACE. XIU

application to study he was indefatigable, and it
was with him a rule, to leave no subject he was
investigating, until he had mastered its difficul-
ties. Yet withal he was so unostentatious, that
nothing in his manner betrayed the conceit of
learning. He was a liberal admirer of the gifts
of others, and was unwilling to detract from their
merits, although they might differ with him in
opinion.

As a minister of Jesus Christ he was particu-
larly conspicuous. He was " mighty in the
Scriptures," not only in his critical acquaint-
ance with them, but in his understanding of
their spirit and power ; by which he was well
qualified to expound in a clear, simple, and co-
gent manner the great mysteries of the Gospel
to others. His tiioughts were generally just
and often profound; his mode of expression
simple and yet forcible ; his imagination fertile
in happily adapted illustrations; his delivery
graceful and earnest ; and in his whole manner
in the pulpit, gravity, meekness, and authority
Avere happily blended. His ministrations were
not only acceptable, but successful in the conver-
sion of sinners, and in the edification of saints.
M . Boston, although a devoted student, never
suffered his delightful pursuit of knowledge, to
interfere with his pastoral visitations. In pre-
paring for the pulpit, he generally wrote out his

XIV PREFACE.

sermons in full; — an example worthy of imita-
tion by more modern preachers. It is a remark-
able fact that, although Mr. Boston was so emi-
nently endowed by grace and mental culture for
the work of the ministry, yet he was tempted to
abandon it after he had entered on it, from a
deep and humbling sense of his unfitness for the
work. This was indeed a rare humility.

In ecclesiastical judicatories Mr. Boston dis-
played great wisdom and prudence, and was
well qualified to give counsel in difficult and
intricate cases. His talent was so admirable in
framing minutes, that he was pronounced by a
statesman of considerable note, the best clerk he
had ever known in any court, civil or ecclesias-
tical.

In relation to the general concerns of the
church, zeal and knowledge were happily com-
bined in him ; and in securing its best interests,
few were so zealous for its purity, or studious of
its peace. He was no friend to innovations, and
always subjected novel suggestions to the most
careful scrutiny. His opinion on the subject of
controversy was, that error was best confuted by
a strong representation of the truth ; and in his
defence of the Protestant doctrine against the
aspersions of a certain book, he fully vindicated
the truth, answered objections, but still avoided
all offensive personal allusions. In some no-

PREFACE. • XV

tices of his life written for the use of his chil-
dren, he remarks :

" Thus also I was much addicted to peace, and
averse from controversy ; though once engaged
therein, I was set to g.o through with it. I had
no great difficulty to retain a due honour and
charity for my brethren, differing from me both
in opinion and practice. But then I was in no
great hazard, neither of being swayed by them to
depart from what I judged truth or duty. Withal,
it was easy to me to yield to them in things
wherein I found not myself in conscience bound
up. Whatever precipitant steps I have made in
the course of my life, which I desire to be hum-
bled for, rashness in conduct was not my weak
side. But, since the Lord, by his grace, brought
me to consider things, it was much my exercise
to discern sin and duty in particular cases ; be-
ing afraid to venture on things, until I should see
myself called thereto. But when the matter was
cleared to me, I generally stuck fast by it, being
as much afraid to desert the way which I took
to be pointed out to me."

The same paper he thus concludes :
" And thus have I given some account of the
days of my vanity. Upon the whole, I bless my
God in Jesus Christ, that ever he made me a
Christian, qnd took an early dealing with my
soul : that ever he made me a minister of the

XVI PREFACE.

gospel, and gave me some insight into the doc-
trine of his grace : and that ever he gave me the
blessed Bible, and brought me acquainted with
the originals, and especially with the Hebrew
text. The world hath all along been a step-
dame unto me, and whensoever I would have at-
tempted to nestle in it, there was a thorn of un-
easiness laid for me. Man is born crying, lives
complaining, and dies disappointed from that
quarter. * All is vanity and vexation of spirit ;
I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.' "

It may be interesting for the reader to know
that the truly valuable treatise with which he is
here presented, under a quaint title, was one of
the last of the author's writings, and therefore
embodies much of the maturity of his expe-
rience. He was engaged in revising it when
he was called to cease from his labours. May
it prove a happy legacy to every one into whose
hands it may fall.

CONTENTS

Page
Introductory Remarks, - - - 19

PROPOSITION I.

Whatsoever Crook there is in one's Lot, it is of
God's making, - - - - 22

I. As to the Crook itself, . - - 22—34

II. The Crook is of God's making. How it is of
his making. Why he makes it, - 35 — 58

PROPOSITION II.

What God sees meet to mar, we shall not be able to
mend in our Lot. What Crook God makes in our
Lot, we shall not be able to even, - - 58

I. God's marring and making a Crook in one's Lot,

as he sees meet, .... 59

II. Men's attempting to mend or even the Crook in
their Lot, . . - . 60

III. In what sense it is to be understood, that we
shall not be able to mend, or even the Crook in
our Lot, - - ... 61

IV. Some reasons of the point, - - 62
Directions for rightly managing the application for

removing the Crook in our Lot, - - 66

PROPOSITION III.

Considering the Crook in the Lot, as the work of
God, is a proper means to bring one to behave
rightly under it, - - - - 76

I. What it is to consider the Crook as the work of
God, 76

II. How it is to be understood to be a proper means

to bring one to behave rightly under the Crook. 78

III. That it is a proper mean to bring one to be-
have rightly under it. - - - 81

A comparison between the Lowly and Proud, - 83

\ -

XVlll CONTENTS.

•Page.
DocT. — There is a generation of lowly afflicted
ones, having their spirit lowered and brought
down to their lot ; whose case, in that respect, is
better than that of the proud getting their will,
and carrying all to their mind, - - 86

I. The generation of the lowly afflicted ones, - ib.

II. The generation of the proud getting their will,
and carrying all to their mind, - - 92

III. It is better to be in a low afflicted condition,
with the spirit humble and brought down to the
lot, than to be of a proud and high spirit, getting
the lot brought up to it, and matters go according

to one's mind, .... 96

Humility the great means to bring all to their re-
spective duties, - - . .104
DocT. I. The bent of one's heart, in humbling cir-
cumstances, should lie towards a suitable hum-
bling of the spirit, as Under God's mighty hand
placing us in them, ... - 107

II. What are those humbling circumstances the
mighty hand of God brings men into, - 109

III. What it is in humbling circumstances, to hum-
ble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, 111

Directions for reaching humiliation, - 119

DocT. II. In due time, those that humble them-
selves under the mighty hand of God will cer-
tainly be lifted up, - - - - 128

THE

CROOK IN THE LOT

EccLEs. vii. 13.

Consider the work of God : for tvJio can make that
straight which he hath made crooked?

A JUST view of afflicting incidents is altogether
necessary to a Christian deportment under them ;
and that view is to be obtained only by faith, not by
sense ; for it is the light of the word alone that re-
presents them justly, discovering in them tlie work
of God, and, consequently, designs becoming the
divine perfections. When these are perceived by the
eye of faith, and duly considered, we have a just view
of afflicting incidents, fitted to quell the turbulent
motions of corrupt afi'cctions under dismal outward
appearances.

It is under this view that Solomon, in the
preceding part of this chapter, advances several
paradoxes, which are surprising determinations in
favour of certain things, that, to the eye of sense,
looking gloomy and hideous, are therefore generally
reputed grievous and shocking. He pronounceth
the day of one's death to be better than the day of
4

20 INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.

his birth ; namely, the day of the death of one, who
having become the friend of God through faith, hath
Jed a hfe to the honour of God, and service of his
generation, and thereby raised himself the good
and savoury name better than precious ointment,
ver. 1. In like manner, he pronounces the house of
mourning to be preferable to the house of feasting,
sorrow to laughter, and a wise man's rebuke to a
fool's song; for that, howbeit the latter are indeed
the more pleasant, yet the former are the more
profitable, ver. 2 — 6. And observing with concern,
how men are in hazard, not only from the world's
frowns and ill-usage, oppression making a wise man
mad, but also from its smiles and caresses, a gift
destroying the heart ; therefore, since whatever way
it goes there is danger, he pronounces the end of
every worldly thing better than the beginning thereof,
ver. 7, 8. And from the whole, he justly infers, that
it is better to be humble and patient, than proud
and impatient, under afflicting dispensations ; since,
in the former case, we wisely submit to what is
really best ; in the latter, we fight against it, ver. 8.
And he dissuades from being angry with our lot, be-
cause of the adversity found therein, ver. 9 ; cautions
against making odious comparisons of former and
present times, in that point insinuating undue reflec-
tions on the providence of God, ver. 10: and, against
that querulous and fretful disposition, he first pres-
cribes a general remedy, namely, holy wisdom, as
that which enables us to make the best of every thing,
and even givethlife in killing circumstances, ver. 11,
12; and then a particular remedy, consisting in a due
application of that wisdom, towards taking a just
view of the case, "Consider the work of God:
for who can make that straight which he hath made
crooked ?"

BENEFIT OF DUE CONSIDERATION. 21

In which words are proposed, 1. The remedy it-
self; 2. The suitableness thereof.

1. 'J'he remedy itself, is a wise eyeing of the hand
of God in all we find to bear hard upon us : " Con-
sider the work (or, see thou the doing) of God,"
namely, in the crooked, rough, and disagreeable parts
of thy lot, the crosses thou findest in it. Thou seest
very well the cross itself; yea, thou turnest it over
and over in thy mind, and leisurely viewest it on all
sides : thou lookest, withal, to this and the other
second cause of it, and so thou art in a foam and
fret. But, wouldst thou be quieted and satisfied in
the matter, lift up thine eyes towards heaven, see the
doing of God in it, the operation of his hand. Look
at that, and consider it well ; eye the first cause of
the crook in thy lot ; behold how it is the work of
God, his doing.

2. This view of the crook in our lot is very suita-
ble to still indecent risings of heart, and quiet us
under it : " For who can (that is, none can) make
that straight which God hath made crooked?" As
to the crook in thy lot, God hath made it: and it
must continue while he will have it so. Shouldst
thou ply thine utmost force to even it, or make it
straight, thine attempt will be vain : it will not alter
for all thou canst do ; only he who made it can mend
it, or make it straight. This consideration, this view
of the matter, is a proper means, at once, to silence
and to satisfy men, and so to bring them unto a duti-
ful submission to their Maker and Governor, under
the crook in their lot.

Now, we take up the purpose of the text in these
three propositions.

Prop. I. Whatsoever crook there is in one's lot, it
is of God's making.

22 THE CROOK IN THE LOT.

Prop. II. What God sees meet to mar, no one shall
be able to mend in his lot.

Prop. III. The considering of the crook in the lot
as the work of God, or of his making, is a proper
means to bring us to a Christian deportment un-
der it.

Prop. I. Whatsoever crook there is in one's lot, it
is of God's making.

Here, two things are to be considered, namely, the
crook itself, and God's making of it.

I. As to the crook itself, the crook in the lot, for
the better understanding thereof, these few things that
follow are premised.

1. There is acertain train or course of events, by
the providence of God, falling to every one of us
during our life in this world : and that is our lot, as
being allotted to us by the sovereign God, our Creator
and Governor, " in whose hand our breath is, and
whose are all our ways." This train of events is
widely different to different persons, according to
the will and pleasure of the sovereign manager, who
ordereth men's conditions in the world in a great
variety, some moving in a higher, some in a lower
sphere.

2. In that train or course of events, some fall out
cross to us, and against the grain ; and these make
the crook in our lot. While we are here, there will
be cross events, as well as agreeable ones, in our lot
and condition. Sometimes things are sofdy and
agreeably gliding on ; but, by and by, there is some
incident which alters that course, grates us, and pains
us, as when we have made a wrong step, we begin
to halt.

3. Every body's lot in this world hath some crook
in it. Complainers are apt to make odious compa-

IT CAME IN BY SIN. 23

risons: they look about, and taking a distant view
of the condition of others, can discern nothing in it
but what is straight, and just to one's wish ; so they
pronounce their neighbour's lot wholly straight.
But that is a false verdict; there is no perfection
here ; no lot out of heaven without a crook. For,
as to " all the works that are done under the sun,
behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That
which is crooked cannot be made straight." Eccl.
i. 14, 15. Who would not have thought that
Haman's lot was very straight, while his family was
in a flourishing condition, and he prospering in riches
and honour, being prime minister of state in the
Persian court, and standing high in the king's favour ?
Yet there was, at the same time, a crook in his lot,
which so galled him, that " all this availed him no-
thing." Esth. V. ] 3. Every one feels for himself,
where he is pinched, though others perceive it not.
Nobody's lot, in this world, is wholly crooked ;
there are always some straight and even parts in it.
Indeed, when men's passions, having got up, have
cast a mist over their minds, they are ready to say,
all is wrong with them, nothing right; but, though
in hell that tale is true, and ever will be so, yet it is
never true in this world ; for there, indeed, there is
not a drop of comfort allowed, Luke xvi. 24, 25, but
here it always holds good, that " it is of the Lord's
mercies we are not consumed." Lam. iii. 22.

4. The crook in the lot came into the world by
sin : it is owing to the fall, Rom. v. 12. " By one
man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ;"
under which death, the crook in the lot is compre-
hended, as a state of comfort or prosperity is, in
scripture style, expressed by living. 1 Sam. xxv. 6.
John iv. 50, 51. Sin so bowed the hearts and minds
of men, that they became crooked in respect of the
4*

24 IT DENOTES ADVERSITY.

holy law ; and God justly so bowed their lot, that it
became crooked too. And this crook in our lot in-
separably follows our sinful condition, till, dropping
this body of sin and death, we get within heaven's
gates.

These being premised, a crook in the lot speaks,
in general, two things, (1.) Adversity, (2.) Continu-
ance. Accordingly it makes a day of adversity, op-
posed to the day of prosperity, in the verse immedi-
ately following the text.

The crook in the lot is, first, some one or other
piece of adversity. The prosperous part of one's lot,
which goes forward according to one's wish, is the
straight and even part of it ; the adverse part, going
a contrary way, is the crooked part thereof. God
hath intermixed these two in men's condition in this
world ; that, as there is some prosperity therein,
making the straight line, so there is also some adver-
sity, making the crooked : which mixture hath place,
not only in the lot of saints, who are told, that " in
the world they shall have tribulation," but even in
the lot of all, as already observed. Secondly, it is
adversity of some continuance. We do not reckon
it a crooked thing, which, though forcibly bended
and bowed together, yet presently recovers its former
straightness. There are twinges of the rod of adver-
sity, which passing like a stitch in one's side, all is
immediately set to rights again: one's lot may be
suddenly overclouded, and the cloud vanish ere he
is aware. But under the crook, one having leisure
to find his smart, is in some concern to get the crook
made even. So the crook in the lot is adversity,
continued for a shorter or longer time.

Now, there is a threefold crook in the lot incident
to the children of men.

1. One made by a cross dispensation, which, how-

SOMETIMES IS LONG CONTINUED. 25

soever in itself passing, yet hath lasting effects.
Such a crook did Herod's cruelty make in the lot of
the mothers in Bethlehem, who by the murderers
were left " weeping for their slain children, and
would not be comforted, because they were not."
Matth. ii. 18. A slip of the foot may soon be made,
which will make a man go halting long after. " As
the fishes are taken in an evil net ; so are the sons
of men snared in an evil time." Eccl. ix. 12. The
thing may fall out in a moment, under which the
party shall go halting to the grave.

2. There is a crook made by a train of cross dis-
pensations, whether of the same or different kinds,
following hard one upon another, and leaving last-
ing effects behind them. Thus in the case of Job,
while one messenger of evil tidings was yet speaking,
another came. Job i. 16 — 18. Cross events coming
one upon the neck of another, deep calling unto
deep, make a sore crook. In that case, the party is
like unto one, who, recovering his sliding foot from
one unfirm piece of ground, sets it on another equally
unfirm, which immediately gives way under him
too : or, like unto one, who, travelling in an un-
known mountainous track, after having, with diffi-
culty, made his way over one mountain, is expecting
to see the plain country ; but, instead thereof, there
comes in view, time after time, a new mountain to
be passed. This crook in Asaph's lot had like to
have made him give up all his religion, until he went
into the sanctuary, where this mystery of providence
was unriddled to him. Psal. Ixxiii. 13 — 17. Solomon
observes, " That there be just men, unto whom it
happeneth according to the work of the wicked."
Eccl. viii. 14. Providence taking a run against
them, as if they were to be run down for good and
all. Whoever they be, whose life in no part thereof

26 WISE AND RIGHT, AS IT RESPECTS GOD.

affords them experience of this, sure Joseph missed
not of it in his young days, nor Jacob in his middle
days, nor Peter in his old days, nor our Saviour all
his days.

3. There is a crook made by one cross dispensa-
tion, with lasting effects thereof coming in the room
of another removed. Thus one crook straightened,
there is another made in its place : and so there is
still a crook. Want of children had long been the
crook in Rachel's lot. Gen. xxx. 1. That was at
length made even to her mind ; but then she got
another in its stead, hard labour in travailing to bring
forih. Chap. xxxv. 16. This world is a wilderness,
in which we may indeed get our station changed ;
but the remove will be out of one wilderness station
to another. When one part of the lot is made even,
soon some other part thereof will be crooked.

More particularly, the crook in the lot hath in it
four things of the nature of that which is crooked.

(I.) Disagreeableness. A crooked thing is way-
ward; and, being laid to a rule, answers it not, but
declines from it. There is not, in any body's lot,
any such thing as a crook, in respect of the will and
purposes of God. Take the most harsh and dismal
dispensation in one's lot, and lay it to the eternal
decree, made in the depth of infinite wisdom, before
the world began, and it will answer it exactly, with-
out the least deviation, "all things being wrought
after the counsel of his will." Eph. i. 11. Lay it to
the providential will of God, in the government of
the world, and there is a perfect harmony. — If Paul
is to be bound at Jerusalem, and "delivered into
the hands of the Gentiles," it is "the will of the
Lord it should be so." Acts xxi. 11, 14. Where-
fore, the greatest crook of the lot on earth, is straight
in heaven : there is no disagreeableness in it there.

CROOKED ONLY AS IT RESPECTS VS. 27

But in every person's lot, there is a crook in respect
of their mind and natural inclination. The adverse
dispensation lies cross to that rule, and will by no
means answer it, nor harmonize with it. When
Divine Providence lays one to the other, there is a
manifest disagreeableness : the man's will goes one
way, and the dispensation another way: the will
bends upwards, and cross events press down : so they
are contrary. And there, and only there, lies the
crook. It is this disagreeableness which makes the
crook in the lot fit matter of trial and exercise to us,
in this our state of probation : in which, if thou
wouldst approve thyself to God, walking by faith, not
by sight, thou must quiet thyself in the will and pur-
pose of God, and not insist that it should be accord-
ing to thy mind. Job xxxiv. 33.

(2.) Unsightliness. Crooked things are un-
pleasant to the eye : and no crook in the lot seemeth
to be joyous, but grievous, making an unsightly
appearance. Heb. xii. 11. Therefore men need to
beware of giving way to their thoughts, to dwell on
the crook in their lot, and of keeping it too much in
view. David shows a hurtful experience of his, in
that kind, Psal. xxxix. 3. " While I was musing the
fire burned." Jacob acted a wiser part, called his
youngest son Benjamin, the son of the right-hand,
whom the dying mother had named Benoni, the son
of my sorrow ; by this means providing, that the
crook in his lot should not be set afresh in his view,
on every occasion of mentioning the name of his son.
Indeed, a Christian may safely take a steady and
leisurely view of the crook of his lot in the light of
the holy word, which represents it as the discipline
of the covenant. So faith will discover a hidden
sightliness in it, under a very unsightly outward
appearance; perceiving the suitableness thereof to

28 OFTEN EXPOSES TO TEMPTATION.

the infinite goodness, love, and wisdom of God, and
to the real and most valuable interests of the parly :
by which means one comes to lake pleasure, and that
a most refined pleasure, in distresses. 2 Cor. xii. 10.
But whatever the crook in the lot be to ihe eye of
faith, it is not at all pleasant to the eye of sense.

(3.) Unfitness for motion. Solomon observes
the cause of the uneasy and ungraceful walking of
the lame, Prov. xxvi. 7. " The legs of the lame are
not equal." This uneasiness they find, who are ex-
ercised about the crook in their lot : a high spirit
and a low adverse lot, makes great difficulty in the
Christian walk. There is nothing that gives temp-
tation more easy access, than the crook in the lot ;
nothing more apt to occasion out-of-the-way steps.
Therefore, saith the apostle, Heb. xii. 13. " Make
straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame
be turned out of the way." They who are labouring
under it are to be pitied then, and not to be rigidly
censured ; though they are rare persons who learn
this lesson, till taught by their own experience. It
is long since Job made an observation in this case,
which holds good unto this day. Job xii. 5. '* He
that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp des-
pised in the thought of him that is at ease."

(4.) *' Aptness to catch hold and entangle, like
hooks, fish-hooks." Amos iv. 2. The crook in the
lot doth so very readily make impression, to the
rufliing and fretting one's spirit, irritating corrup-
tion, that Satan fails not to make diligent use of it
for these dangerous purposes ; which point once
gained by the tempter, the tempted, ere he is
aware, fin-ds himself entangled as in a thicket, out
of which he knows not how to extricate himself. In
that temptation it often proves like a crooked stick,
troubling a standing pool, which not only raises up

DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PERSONS. 29

the miul all over, but brings up from the bottom some
very ugly thing. Thus it brought up a spice of
blasphemy and atheism in Asaph's case, Psal. Ixxiii.
13. " Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and
washed my hands in innocence :" as if he had said.
There is nothing at all in religion, it is a vain and
empty thing, that profiteth nothing; I was a fool to
have been in care about purity and holiness, whether
of heart or life. Ah ! is this the pious Asaph ? How
is he turned so white unlike himself! but the crook
in the lot is a handle, whereby the temper makes
surprising discoveries of latent corruption even in the
best.

This is the nature of the crook in the lot; let us
now observe what part of the lot it falls in. Three
conclusions may be established upon this head.

1st. It may fall in any part of the lot; there is no
exempted one in the case : for, sin being found in
every part, the crook may take place in any part.
Being " all as an unclean thing, we may all fade as
a leaf." Isa. Ixiv. 6. The main stream of sin, which
the crook readily follows, runs in very different chan-
nels, in the case of different persons. And in regard
of the various dispositions of the minds of men, that
will prove a sinking weight unto one, which another
would go very lightly under.

2dly. It may at once fall into many parts of the
lot, the Lord calling, as in a solemn day, one's ter-
rors round about. Lam. ii. 22. Sometimes God
makes one notable crook in a man's lot; but its
name may be Gad, being but the forerunner of a
troop which cometh. — Then the crooks are multi-
plied, so that the party is made to halt on each side.
While one stream, let it from one quarter, is running
full against him, another is let in on him from

30 IN SOME IT APPEARS IN BODILY DEFECTS.

another quarter, till in the end the waters break in on
every hand.

3dly. It often falls in the tender part ; I mean,
that part of the lot wherein one is least able to bear
it, or, at least thinks he is so. Psalm Iv. 12, 13. " It
was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could
have borne it. But it was thou, a man, mine equal,
my guide, and mine acquaintance." If there is any
one part of the lot, which of all others one is dis-
posed to uestle in, the thorn will readily be laid
there, especially if he belongs to God; in that
thing wherein he is least of all able to be touched,
he will be sure to be pressed. There the trial will
be taken of him ; for there is the grand competition
with Christ. *' I take from them the desires of their
eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds,
Ezek. xxiv. 25. Since the crook in the lot is the
special trial appointed for every one, it is altogether
reasonable, and becoming the wisdom of God, that
it fall on that which of all things dolh most rival
him.

But more particularly, the crook may be observed
to fall in these four parts of the lot.

First, In the natural part affecting persons consi-
dered as of the make allotted for them by the great
God that formed all things. The parents of man-
kind, Adam and Eve, were formed altogether sound
and entire, without the least blemish, whether in soul
or body; but in the formation of their posterity,
there often appears a notable variation liom the ori-
ginal. Bodily defects, superfluities, deformities, in-
firmities, natural or accidental, made the crook in
the lot of some : they have something unsightly or
grievous about them. Crooks of this kind, more or
less observable, are very common and ordinary ; the

IN OTHERS, IT AFFECTS THEIR REPUTATION. 31

best are not exempted from them: and it is purely-
owing to sovereign pleasure they are not more nu-
merous. Tender eyes made the crook in the lot of
Leah, Gen. xxix. 17. Rachel's beauty was balanced
with barrenness, the crook in her lot, chap. xxx. 1.
Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles, was, it should
seem, no personable man, but of a mean outward
appearance, for which fools were apt to contemn
him, 2 Cor. x. 10. Timothy was of a weak and
sickly frame, 1 Tim. v. 23. And there is a yet far
more considerable crook in the lot of the lame, the
blind, the deaf, and the dumb. Some are weak to a
degree in their intellects ; and it is the crook in the
lot of several bright souls to be overcast with clouds,
notably bemisted and darkened, from the crazy bo-
dies they are lodged in : an eminent instance whereof
we have in the grave, wise, and patient Job, "going
mourning without the sun ; yea, standing up and
crying in the congregation." Job. xxx. 28.

Secondly. It may fall in the honorary part. There
is an honour due to all men, the small as well as the
great. 1 Pet. ii. 17, and that upon the ground of the
original constitution of human nature, as it was
framed in the iuiago of God. But, in the sovereign
disposal of holy Providence, the crook in the lot of
some falls here ; they are neglected and slighted ;
their credit is still kept low : they go througli the
world under a cloud, being put into an ill name,
their reputation sunk. This sometimes is the natu-
ral consequence of their own foolish and sinful con-
duct; as in the case of Dinah, who, by her gadding
abroad to satisfy her youthful curiosity, regardless of,
and therefore not waiting for a providential call,
brought a lasting stain on her honour, Gen. xxxiv.
But, where the l^ord intends a crook of this kind in
ouc'b lot, innocence will not be able to ward it olf in

32 IN OTHERS, THEIR CALLING IN LIFE.

ail ill-natured world ; neither will true merit be able
to make head against it, to make one's lot stand
straight in that part. Thus David represents his
case, Psal. xxxi. 11 — 13. "They that did see me
without, fled from me : I am forgotten as a dead
man out of mind : 1 am like a broken vessel. For I
have heard the slander of many."

Thirdly, It may fall in the vocational part. What-
ever is a man's calling or station in the world, be it
sacred or civil, the crook in their lot may take its
place therein. Isaiah was an eminent prophet, but
most unsuccessful, Isa. liii. 1. Jeremiah met with
such a train of discouragements and ill usage in the
exercise of his sacred function, that he was very near
giving it up, saying, " I will not make mention of
him, nor speak any more in his name." Jer. xx. 9.
The Psalmist observes this crook often to be made
in the lot of some men very industrious in their civil
business who sow in the fields — and at times " God
blesseth them — and suffereth not their catUe to de-
crease ; but again, they are minished, and brought
low, through oppression, affliction, and sorrow."
Psal. cvii. 37 — 39. Such a crook was made in
Job's lot after he had long stood even. Some ma^
nage their employments with all care and diligence ;
the husbandman carefully labouring his ground; the
sheep- master " diligent to know the state of his
flocks, and looking well to his herds ;" the tradesman,
early and late at his business ; the merchant, dili-
gently plying his, watching and falling in with the
most fair and promising opportunities ; but there is
such a crook in that part of their lot, as all they are able
to do can by no means make even. For why? The
most proper means used for compassing an end are
insignificant without a word of divine appointment
commanding their success. " Who is he that sailh,

IN OTHERS, THEIR NEAREST RELATIONS. 33

and it comelh to pass, when the Lord commandelh
it not?" Lam. iii. 37. People ply tlieir business
with skill and industry, but the wind turns in their
face. Providence crosses their enterprises, discon-
certs their measures, frustrates their hopes and ex-
pectations, renders their endeavours unsuccessful,
and so puts and keeps them still in straitened cir-
cumstances. *' So the race is not to the swift, nor
the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to tiie
wise." Eccl. ix. 11. Providence interposing, crooks
the measures which human prudence and industry
had laid straight towards the respective ends ; so
the swift lose the race, and the strong the battle,
and the wise miss of bread ; while, in the mean
time, some one or other providential incident, sup-
plying the defect of human wisdom, conduct, and
ability, the slow gain the race and carry the prize ;
the weak win the battle and enrich themselves
with the spoil ; and bread falls into the lap of the
fool.

Lastly, It may fall in the relational part. Rela-
tions are the joints of society; and there the crook
in the lot may take place, one's smartest pain being
often felt in these joints. They are in their nature
the springs of man's comfort ; yet, they often turn
the greatest bitterness to him. Sometimes this crook
is occasioned by the loss of relations. Thus a crook
was made in the lot of Jacob, by means of the
death of Rachel, his beloved wife, and the loss of
Joseph, his son and darling, which had like to have
made him go halting to the grave. Job laments this
crook in his lot. Job xvi. 7. " Thou hast made
desolate all my company ;" meaning his dear chil-
dren, every one of whom he had laid in the grave,
not so much as one son or daughter left him. Again,
sometimes it is made tln-ough the afflictinsf hand of

34 IN DOMESTIC DISQUIETUDE.

God lying heavy on them : which, in virtue of their
relation, recoils on the party, as is feehngly ex-
pressed by that believing woman, Matt. xv. 22.
" Have raercy on me, O Lord ; my daughter is
grievously vexed." Ephraiin felt the smart of
family afflictions, " when he called his son's name
Beriah, because it went evil with his house."
1 Chron. vii. 23. Since all is not only vanity, but
vexation of spirit, it can hardly miss, but the more
of these springs of comfort are opened to a man, he
must, at one time or other, find he has but the more
sources of sorrows to gush out and spring in upon
him ; the sorrow always proportioned to the comfort
found in them, or expected from them. And, finally,
the crook is sometimes made here by their proving
uncomfortable through the disagreeableness of their
temper, and disposition. There was a crook in
Job's lot, by means of an undutiful, ill-natured
wife. Job xix. 17. In Abigail's, by means of a surly,
ill-tempered husband, 1 Sam. xxv. 25. In Eli's,
through the perverseness and obstinacy of his chil-
dren, chap. ii. 25. In Jonathan's, through the fu-
rious temper of his father, chap. xx. 30 — 33. So do
men oftentimes find their greatest cross, where they
expected their greatest comfort. Sin hath unhinged
the whole creation, and made every relation sus-
ceptible of the crook. In the family are found
masters hard and unjust, servants froward and un-
faithful ; in a neighbourhood, men selfish and uneasy ;
in the church, ministers unedifying, and offensive in
their walk, and people contemptuous and disorderly,
a burden to the spirits of ministers; in the state,
magistrates oppressive, and discountenancers of
that which is good, and subjects turbulent and sedi-
tious ; all these cause crooks in the lot of their rela-
tives. And thus far of the crook itself.

OOD, THE AUTHOR OF THESE DISPENSATIONS. 35

II. Having seen the crook itself, we are in the
next place, to consider of God's making it. And here
is to be shown, 1. That it is of God's making.
2. How it is of his making. 3. Why he makes it.

First, That the crook in the lot, whatever it is,
is of God's making appears from these three consid-
erations.

First, It cannot be questioned, but the crook in
the lot, considered as a crook, is a penal evil, what-
ever it is for the matter thereof; that is, whether the
thing in iiself, its immediate cause and occasion, be
sinful or not, it is certainly a punishment or afflic-
tion. Now, as it may be, as such, holily and justly
brought on us, by our Sovereign Lord and Judge,
so he expressly claims the doing or making of it,
Amos iii. 6. " Shall there be evil in a city, and the
Lord has not done it?" Wherefore, since there can
be no penal evil, but of God's making, and the crook
in the lot is such an evil, it is necessarily concluded
to be of God's making.

Secondly, It is evident, from the scripture doctrine
of divine providence, that God brings about every
man's lot, and all the parts thereof. He sits at the
helm of human affairs, and turns them about whi-
thersoever he listeth. " Whatsoever the Lord pleas-
ed, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the seas
and all deep places," Psal. cxxxv. 6. There is not
any thing whatsoever befalls us, without his over-
ruling hand. The same providence that brought us
out of the womb, bringeth us to, and fixeth us in,
the condition and place allotted for us, by him who
" hath determined the times, and the bounds of our
habitation." Acts xvii. 26. It overrules the smallest
and most casual things about us, such as " hairs of
our head falling on the ground," Matt. x. 29, 30.
" A lot cast into the lap." Prov. xvi. 33. Yea, the
5*

36 ALL ARE UNDER HIS ARRANGEMENT.

free acts of our will, whereby we choose for our-
selves, for even "the king's heart is in the hand of
the Lord, as the rivers of water." Prov. xxi. 1. And
the whole steps we make, and which others make in
reference to us ; for " the way of man is not in him-
self; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."
Jer. X. 23. And this, whether these steps causing
the crook be deliberate and sinful ones, such as Jo-
seph's brethren selling him into Egypt ; or whether
they be undesigned, 'such as man-slaughter purely
casual, as when one hewing wood, kills his neighbour
with " the head of the axe shpping from the helve."
Deut. xix. 5. For there is a holy and wise provi-
dence that governs the sinful and the heedless actions
of men, as a rider doth a lame horse, of whose halt-
ing, not he, but the horse's lameness, is the truo
and proper cause ; wdierefore in the former of theso
cases, God is said to have sent Joseph into Egypt»
Gen. xlv. 7, and in the latter, to deliver one into his
neighbour's hand, Exod. xxi. 13.

Lastly, God hath, by an eternal decree, immove-
able as mountains of brass, Zech. vi. 1, appointed
the whole of every one's lot, the crooked parts
thereof, as well as the straight. By the same eternal
decree, whereby the high and low parts of the earth,
the mountains and the valleys, were appointed, are
the heights and the depths, the prosperity and adver-
sity, in the lot of the inhabitants thereof determined ;
and they are brought about, in time, in a perfect
agreeableness thereto.

The mystery of Providence, in the government of
the world, is, in all the parts thereof, the building
reared up of God, in exact conformity to the plan in
his decree, " who worketh all things after the coun-
sel of his own will." Eph. i. 11. So that there is
never a crook in one's lot, but may be run up to

SINLESS AND SINFUL CROOKS DISTINGUISHED. 37

this original. Hereof Job piously sets us an exam-
ple in his own case, Job xviii. 13, 14. '* He is in

one mind, and who can turn him? and what his
soul desircth, even that he doth. For he performeth
the thing that is appointed for me ; and many such
things are with him."

Secondly, That we may see how the crook in
the lot is of God's making, we must distinguish
between pure sinless crooks, and impure sinful
ones.

First, There are pure and sinless crooks ; which
are mere afflictions, cleanly crosses, grievous indeed,
but not defiling. Such was Lazarus's poverty, Ra-
chel's barrenness, Leah's tender eyes, the blindness
of the man who had been so from his birth, John
ix. 1. Now, the crooks of this kind are of God's
making, by the efficacy of his power directly bringing
them to pass, and causing them to be. He is the
maker of the poor, Prov. xvii. 5. " Whoso mocketh
the poor, reproacheth his Maker ;" that is, reproach-
eth God who made him poor, according to that,
1 Sam. ii. 7, " The Lord maketh poor." It is he
that hath the key of the womb, and as he sees
meet, shuts it, 1 Sam. i. 5, or opens it. Gen. xxix.
31. And it is "he that formeth the eyes," Psal.
xciv. 9. And the man was " born blind, that the
w^orks of God should be made manifest in him."
John ix. 3. Therefore he saith to Moees, Exod. iv.
11. " Who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing,
or the blind ? Have not I, the Lord?" Such crooks
in the lot are of God's making, in the most ample
sense, and in their full comprehension, being the
direct effects of his agency, as well as the heavens
and the earth.

Secondly, There are impure sinful crooks, which,
in their own nature, are sins as well as afflictions,

38 GOD TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN ALL AFFLICTIONS.

defiling as well as grievous. Such was the crook
made in David's lot, through his family disorders,
the defiling of Tamar, the murder of Amnon, the
rebellion of Absalom, all of them unnatural. Of
the same kind was that made in Job's lot by the
Sabeans and Chaldeans, taking away his substance
and slaying his servants. As these were the afflic-
tions of David and Job respectively, so they were
the sins of the actors, the unhappy instruments
thereof. Thus one and the same thing may be, to
one a heinous sin, defiling and laying him under
guilt, and to another an affliction, laying him under
suffering only. Now, the crooks of this kind are
not of God's making, in the same latitude as those
of the former : for he neither puts evil in the heart
of any, nor stirreth up to it : " He cannot be
tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man."
James i. 13. But they are of his making, by his
holy permission of them ; powerful bounding of
them, and wise overruling of them to some good
end.

1st. He holily permits them, sufl'ering men " to
walk in their own ways." Acts xiv. 16. Though
he is not the author of those sinful crooks, causing
them to be, by the efficacy of his power : yet, if he
did not permit them, willing not to hinder them,
they could not be at all : for " he shutteth and no
man openeth." Rev. iii. 7. But he justly withholds
his grace which the sinner doth not desire, takes off
the restraint under which he is uneasy, and since the
sinner will be gone, lays the reins on his neck, and
leaves him to the swing of his lust. Hos. iv. 17.
" Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone." Psal.
Ixxxi. 11, 12. "Israel would none of me: so I gave
them up to their own heart's lusts." In which un-
happy situation the sinful crook doth, from the sin-

LIMITED BY HIS POWER AND GOODNESS. 39

ner's own proper motion, natnrnlly and infallibly
follow ; even as water runs down a hill, wherever
there is a gap left open before it. So in these cir-
cumstances, " Israel walked in their own counsels."
ver. 12. And thus this kind of crook is of God's
making, as a just judge, punishing the sufferer by it.
This view of the matter silenced David under Shi-
mei's cursings, 2 Sara. xvi. 10, 11. " Let him alone,
and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him."

2dly. He powerfully bounds them, Psal. Ixxvi. 10.
"The remainder of wrath" (that is, the creature's
wrath) "thou shalt restrain." Did not God bound
these crooks, howsoever sore they are in any one's
case, they would be yet sorer. But he says to the
sinful instrument, as he said to the sea, " Hitherto
shalt thou come, but no farther; and here shall thy
proud waves be stayed." He lays a restraining
hand on him, that he cannot go one step farther, in
the way his impetuous lust drives, than he sees meet
to permit. Hence it comes to pass, that the crook
of this kind is neither more nor less, but just as great
as he by his powerful bounding makes it to be. An
eminent instance hereof we have in the case of Job,
whose lot was crooked through a peculiar agency of
the devil ; but even to that grand sinner, God set a
bound in the case: "The Lord said unto Satan,
Behold all that he hath is in thy power, only upon
himself put not forth thine hand." Job. i. 12. Now,
Satan went the full length of the bound, leaving no-
thing within the compass thereof untouched, which
he saw could make for his purpose, ver. 18, 19.
But he could by no means move one step beyond it,
to carry his point, which he could not gain within it.
And therefore, to make the trial greater, and the
crook sorer, nothing remained but that the bound
set should be removed, and the sphere of his agency

40 WISELY OVERRULED FOR SOME GOOD PURPOSE.

enlarged ; for which cause he saith, " But touch
his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy
face,*' chap, ii, 5, and it being removed accordingly,
but withal a new one set, ver. 6. " Behold he is in
thine hand, but save his life;" the crook was carried
to the utmost that the new bound would permit, in
a consistency with his design of bringing Job to
blaspheme; " Satan smote him with sore boils, from
the sole of his foot unto the crown of his head."
ver. 7. And had it not been for this bound, secur-
ing Job's life, he, after finding this attempt un-
successful too, had doubtless despatched him at
once.

Sdly. He wisely overrules them to some good
purpose, becoming the divine perfections. While
the sinful instrument hath an ill design in the crook
caused by him, God directs it to a holy and good
end. In the disorders of David's family, Amnon's
design was to gratify a brutish lust; Absalom's, to
glut himself with revenge, and to satisfy his pride
and ambition ; but God meant thereby to punish
David for his sin in the matter of Uriah. In the
crook made in Job's lot, by Saian, and the Sabeans
and Chaldeans, his instruments, Satan's design was
to cause Job to blaspheme, and theirs to gratify
their covetousness : but God had another design
therein becoming himself, namely, to manifest Job's
sincerity and uprightness. Did not he wisely and
powerfully overrule these crooks made in men's lot,
no good could come out of them ; but he always
overrules them so as to fulfil his own holy purposes
thereby : (howbeit the sinner meaneth not so ;) for his
designs cannot miscarry, his " counsel shall stand,'*
Isa. xlvi. 10. So the sinful crook is, by the over-
ruling hand of God, turned about to his own glory,
and his people's good in the end ; according to the

WHY IS THE CROOK ArrOINTEDl 41

word, Prov. xvi. 4. *' The Lord hath made all things
for hhnself." Rom. viii. 28. " All things work to-
gether for good to lliem that love God." Thus
Haman's plot for the destruction of the Jews " was
turned to the contrary." Esth. ix. 1. And the crook
made in Joseph's lot, by his own brethren selling
him into Egypt, though it was on their part most
sinful, and of a most mischievous design ; yet, as it
was of God's making, by his holy permission, power-
ful bounding, and wisely overruling it, had an issue
well becoming the divine wisdom and goodness:
both of whicli Joseph notices to them, Gen. 1. 20.
" As for you, ye thought evil against me; but God
meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day,
to save much people alive."

Thirdly, It remains to inquire, why God makes
a crook in one's lot? And this is to be cleared by-
discovering the design of that dispensation : a matter
which it concerns every one to know, and carefully
to notice, in order to a Christian improvement of the
crook in their lot. The design thereof seems to be,
chiefly, sevenfold.

First. The trial of one's state, whether one is in
the state of grace or not? Whether a sincere Chris-
tian, or a hypocrite ? Though every affliction is
trying, yet here I conceive lies the main providential
trial a man is brought into, with reference to his
state ; forasmuch as the crook in the lot, being a
matter of a continued course, one has occasion to
open and s.how himself again and again in the same
thing; whence it comes to pass, that it ministers
ground for a decision, in that momentous point. It
was plainly on this foundation that the trial of Job's
state was put. The question was, whether Job was
an upright and sincere servant of God, as God himself
testified of him; or but a mercenary one, a hypocrite,

42 FOR THE TRIAL OF ONE's STATE.

as Satan alleged against him ? And the trial hereof
was put upon the crook to be made in his lot, Job
i. 8-^12. and ii. 3—6. Accordingly, that which all
his friends, save Elihu, the last speaker, did, in their
reasonings with him under his trial, aim at, was to
})rove him a hypocrite; Satan thus making use of
these good men for gaining his point. As God
made trial of Israel in the wilderness, for the land of
Canaan, by a train of atllicting dispensations, which
Caleb and Joshua bearing strenuously, were declared
meet to enter the promised land, as having followed
the Lord fully; while others being tired out with
them, their carcasses fell in the wilderness ; so he'
makes trial of men for heaven, by the crook in their
lot. If one can stand that test, he is manifested ta
be a saint, a sincere servant of God, as Job was
proved to be ; if not, he is but a hypocrite ; he can-
not stand the test of the crook in his lot, but goes
away like dross in God's furnace. A melancholy in-
stance of vvhich we have in that man of honour and
wealth, who, with high pretences of religion, arising
from a principle of moral seriousness, addressed him-
self to our Saviour, to know "what he should do
that lie might inherit eternal life." Mark x. 17 — 22.
Our Saviour, to discover the man to himself, makes
a crook in his lot, where all along before it had stood
even, obliging him, by a probatory command, to sell
and give away all that he had, and follow him, ver.
21. "Sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the
poor, and come take up the cross and follow me."
Hereby he was, that moment, in the court of con-
science, stript of his great possessions ; so that
thencefordi he could no longer keep them, with a
good conscience, as he might have done before.
The man instantly felt the smart of this crook made
in his lot; "he was sad at that saying." ver. 22.

EXCITATION TO DUTY. 43

that is, immediately upon the hearing of it, being
struck with, pain, disorder, and confusion of mind,
his countenance changed, became cloudy and lower-
ing, as the same word is used. Matth. xvi. 3. He
could not stand the test of that crook ; he could by
no means submit his lot to God in that point, but
behoved to have it, at any rate, according to his own
mind. So he " went away grieved, for he had great
possessions." He went away from Christ back to
his plentiful estate, and though with a pained and
sorrowful heart, sat him down again on it a violent
possessor before the Lord, thwarting the divine order.
And there is no appearance that ever this order was
revoked, or that ever he came to a better temper in
reference thereunto.

Secondly, excitation to duty, weaning one from
this world, and prompting him to look after the
liappiness of the other world. Many have been
beholden to the crook in their lot, for that ever they
came to themselves, settled, and turned serious.
Going for a time like a wild ass used to the wilder-
ness, scorning to be turned, their foot hath slid in due
time ; and a crook being thereby made in their lot,
their mouth hath come wherein they have been
caught. Jer. ii. 24. Thus was the prodigal brought
to himself, and obliged to entertain thoughts of re-
turning unto his father. Luke xv. 17. The crook in
their lot convinces them at length that here is not
their rest. Finding still a pricking thorn of uneasi-
ness, whensoever they lay down their head where
they would fain take rest in the creature, and that
they are obliged to lift it again, they are brought to
conclude, there is no hope from that quarter, and
begin to cast about for rest another way, so it makes
them errands to God, which they had not before ;
forasmuch as they feel a need of tlic comforts of the
6

44 CONVICTION OF SIN.

Other world, to which their mouths were out of taste,
while their lot stood even to their mind. Where-
fore, whatever use we make of the crook in our lot,
the voice of it is, " Arise ye and depart, this is not
your rest." And it is surely that, which of all means
of mortification, of the afflictive kind, doth most
deaden a real Christian to this life and world.

Thirdly, Conviction of sin. As when one walking
heedlessly is suddenly taken ill of a lameness: his
goinff halting- the rest of his way convinces him of
having made a wrong step; and every new painful
step brings it afresh to his mind : so God makes a
crook in one's lot, to convince him of some false step
he hath made, or course he hath taken. What the
sinner would otherwise be apt to overlook, forget, or
think light of, is by this means recalled to mind, set
before him as an evil and bitter thing, and kept in
remembrance, that his heart may every now and then
bleed for it afresh. Thus, by the crook, men's sin
finds them out to their conviction, " as the thief is
ashamed when he is found." Numb, xxxii. 23. .Ter.
ii. 26. The which Joseph's brethren do feelingly
express, under the crook made in their lot in Egypt,
Gen. xlii. 21. " We are verily guilty concerning our
brother," chap. xliv. 16. " God hath found out the
iniquity of thy servants." The crook in the lot doth
usually, in its nature or circumstances, so naturally
refer to the false step or course, that it serves for a
providential memorial of it, bringing the sin, though
of an old date, fresh to remembrance, and for a badge
of the sinner's folly, in word or deed, to keep it ever
before him. When Jacob found Leah, through La-
ban's unfair dealing, palmed upon him for Rachel,
how could he miss of a stinging remembrance of the
cheat he had, seven years at least before, put on his
own father, pretending himself to be Esau ? Gen.

CORRECTION FOR SIN. 45

xxvii. 19. How could it miss of galling him occa-
sionally afterwards during the course of the marriage ?
He had imposed on his father the younger brother
for the elder; and Laban imposed on him the elder
sister for the younger. The dimness of Isaac's eyes
favoured the former cheat ; and the darkness of the
evening did as much favour the latter. So he be-
hoved to say, as Adoni-bezek in another case,
Judges i. 7. " As I have done, so God hath requited
me." In like manner, Rachel dying in childbirth,
could hardly avoid a melancholy reflection on her
rash and passionate expression, mentioned Gen.
XXX. I. " Give me children, or else I die." Even
holy Job read, in the crook of his lot, some false
steps he had made in his youth, many years before.
Job xiii. 26. " Thou writest bitter things against
me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my
youth,"

Fourthly, Correction, or punishment for sin. In
nothing more than in the crook of the lot, is that
word verified, Jer. ii. 19. "Thine own wickedness
shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove
thee." God may, for a time, wink at one's sin,
which afterward he will set a brand of his indignation
upon, in crooking the sinner's lot, as he did in the
case of Jacob, and of Rachel, mentioned before.
Though the sin was a passing action, or a course of
no long continuance, the mark of the divine dis-
pleasure for it, set on the sinner in the crook of his
lot, may pain him long and sore, that by repeated
experience he may know what an evil and bitter
thing it was. David's killing Uriah by the sword
of the Ammonites was soon over ; but for that cause
" the sword never departed from his house." 2 Sam.
xii. 10. Gehazi quickly obtained two bags of
money from Naaman, in the way of falsehood and

46 PREVENTING OF SIN,

lying ; but as a lasting mark of the divine indigna-
tion against the profane trick, he got withal a leprosy
which clave to him while he lived, and to his posterity
after him. 2 Kings, v. 27. This may be the case, as
well where the sin is pardoned, as to the guilt of
eternal wrath, as where it is not. And one may
have confessed and sincerely repented of that sin,
which yet shall make him go halting to the grave,
though it cannot carry him to heH. A man's person
may be accepted in the Beloved, who yet hath a par-
ticular badge of the divine displeasure, with his sin
hung upon him in the crook of his lot. Psal. xcix. 8.
*' Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou
tookest vengeance on their inventions."

Fifthly, Preventing of sin. Hos. ii. 6. *' I will
hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall that
she shall not find her paths." The crook in the lot
will readily be found to lie cross to some wrong bias
of the heart, which peculiarly sways with the party:
so it is like a thorn-hedge or wall in the way which
that bias inclines him to. The defiling objects in the
world do specially take and prove ensnaring, as they
are suited to the particular cast of temper in men :
but by means of the crook in the lot, the paint and
varnish is worn off the defiling object, whereby it
loses its former taking appearance : thus, the edge
of corrupt aff"ections is blunted, temptation weakened,
and much sin prevented ; the sinner after " gadding
about so much to change his way, returning ashamed."
Jer. ii. 36, 37. Thus the Lord crooks one's lot
that " he may withdraw man from his purpose, and
hide pride from men :" and so " he keepeth back
his soul from the pit." Job xxxiii. 17, 18. Every
one knows what is most pleasant to him ; but God
alone knows what is most profitable. As all men
are liars, so all men are fools too : He is the only

DISCOVERY OF LATENT CORRrPTION. 47

wise God. Jude, ver. 25. Many are obliged to the
crooli in their lot, that they go not to those excesses,
which their vain minds and corrupt affections would
with full sail carry them to ; and they would from
their hearts bless God for making it, if they did but
calmly consider what would most likely be the issue
of the removal thereof. When one is in hazard of
fretting under the hardship of bearing the crook, he
would do well to consider what condition he is as yet
in to bear its removal in a Christian manner.

Sixthly, Discovery of latent corruption, whether
in saints or sinners. There are some corruptions in
every man's heart, which lie, as it were, so near the
surface, that they are ready on every turn to rise up ;
but then there are others also which lie so very deep,
that they are scarcely observed at all. But as the
fire under the pot makes the scum to rise up, appear
a-top, and run over ; so the crook in the lot raises
up from the bottom, and brings out, such corruption
as otherwise one could hardly imagine to be within.
Who would have suspected such strength of passion
in the meek Moses as he discovered at the waters of
strife, and for which he was kept out of Canaan ?
Psal. cvi. 32, 33. Num. xx. 13. So much bitterness
of spirit in the patient Job, as to charge God with
becoming cruel to him? Job xxx. 21. So much
ill-nature in the good Jeremiah, as to curse not only
the day of his birth, but even the man who brought
tidings of it to his father? Jer. xx. 14, 15. Or,
such a tang of atheism in Asaph, as to pronounce
religion a vain thing? Psalm Ixxiii. 13. But the
crook in the lot, bringing out these things, showed
them to have been within, how long soever they had
lurked unobserved. And as this design, however
indecently proud scoffers allow themselves to treat
it, is in no way inconsistent with the divine perfec-
6*

48 THE EXERCISE OF GRACE.

tions ; so the discovery itself is necessary for the due
humiliation of sinners, and to stain the pride of all
glory, that men may know themselves. Both which
appear, in that it was on this very design that God
made the long-continued crook in Israel's lot in the
wilderness ; even to humble them and prove them,
to know what was in their heart. Deut. viii. 2.

Seventhly, The exercise of grace in the children of
God. Believers, through the remains of indweiUng
corruption, are liable to fits of spiritual laziness and
inactivity, in which their graces lie dormant for the
time. Besides, there are some graces, which of
their own nature are but occasional in their exercise;
as being exercised only upon occasion of certain
things which they have a necessary relation to :
such as patience and long-suffering. Now, the crook
in the lot serves to rouse up a Christian to the
exercise of the graces, overpowered by corruption,
and withal to call forth to action the occasional
graces, ministering proper occasions for them. The
truth is, the crook in the lot is the great engine of
Providence for making men appear in their true
colours, discovering both their ill and their good ;
and if the grace of God be in them, it will bring it
out, and cause it to display itself. It so puts the
Christian to his shifts, that however it makes him
stagger for awhile, yet it will at length evidence
both the reality and the strength of grace in him.
" Ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations,
that the trial of your faith, being much more pre-
cious than of gold that perisheth, may be found
unto praise." 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. The crook in the lot
gives rise to many acts of faith, hope, love, self-
denial, resignation, and other graces ; to many hea-
venly breathings, pantings, and groanings, which
otherwise would not be brought forth. And I make

THE EXERCISE OF GUACE. 49

no question but these tilings, however by carnal men
despised as trifling, are more precious in the sight
of God tlian even believers themselves are aware of,
being acts of immediate internal worship ; and will
have a surprising notice taken of them, and of the
sum of them, at long run, howbeit the persons
themselves often can hardly tliink them worth their
own notice at all. The steady acting of a gallant
army of horse and foot to the routing of the enemy,
is highly prized ; but the acting of holy fear and
humble hope, is in reality far more valuable, as be-
ing so in the sight of God, whose judgment, we
are sure, is according to truth. This the Psalmist
teacheth. Psal. cxlvii. 10, 11. " He delighteth not
in the strength of the horse ; he taketh not pleasure
in the legs of a man. The Lord taketh pleasure in
them that fear him, in those that hope in iiis mercy."
And indeed the exercise of the graces of his Spirit
in his people, is so very precious in his sight, that
whatever grace any of them excel in, they will
readily get such a crook made in their lot as will be
a special trial of it, that will make a proof of its full
strength. Abraham excelled in the grace of faith,
in trusting God's bare word of promise above the
dictates of sense : and God, giving him a promise,
that he would make of him a great nation, made
withal a crook in his lot, by which he had enough
ado v/ith all the strength of his faith ; while he was
obliged to leave his country and kindred, and so-
journ among the Canaanites ; his wife continuing
barren, till past the age of child-bearing : and when
she had at length brought forth Isaac, and he was
grown up, he was called to offer him up for a burnt-
oflfering, the more exquisite trial of his faith, that
Ishmacl was now expelled his family, and that it
was declared, That in Isaac only his seed should be

50 THE DOCTRINE APPLIED.

called. Gen. xxi. 12. ♦' Moses was very meek above
all the men which were upon the face of the earth."
Numb. xii. 3. And he was intrusted with the con-
duct of a most perverse and unmanageable people,
the crook in his lot plainly designed for the exercise
of his meekness. Job excelled in patience, and by
the crook in his lot, he got as much to do with it.
For God gives none of his people to excel in a gift,
but some time or other he will afford them use for the
whole compass of it.

Now, the use of this doctrine is threefold. (I.)
For reproof. (2.) For consolation. And (3.) For
exhortation.

Use 1. For reproof. And it meets with three
sorts of persons as reprovable.

First, The carnal and earthly, who do not with
awe and reverence regard the crook in their lot as
of God's making. There is certainly a signature of
the divine hand upon it to be perceived by just ob-
servers; and that challengeth an awful regard, the
neglect of which forebodes destruction, Psal. xxviii.
5. " Because they regard not the works of the Lord,
nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy
them, and not build them up." And herein they are
deeply guilty, who, poring upon second causes, and
looking no further than the unhappy instruments of
the crook in their lot, overlook the first cause, as
a dog snarls at the stone, but looks not to the hand
that easts it. This is, in effect, to make a God of
the creature ; so regarding it, as if it could of itself
effect any thing, while in the mean time, it is but an
instrument in the hand of God, '* the rod of his
anger." Isa. x. 5. " Ordained of him for judgment,
established for correction." Hab. i. 12. O ! why
should men terminate their view on the instruments
of the crook in their lot, and so magnify their

FOR REPROOF. 51

scourges? The truth is, they are, for the most part,
rather to be pitied, as having an undesirable office,
whichfor their gratifying their own corrupt alTections,
in making the crook in the lot of others, returns on
their own head at length with a vengeance, as did
" the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu." Hos.
i. 4. And it is specially undesirable to be so em-
ployed in the case of such as belong to God ; for
rarely is the ground of the quarrel the same on the
part of the instrument as on God's part, but very
different ; witness Shimei's cursing David, as a
bloody man, meaning the blood of the house of Saul,
which he was not guilty of, while God meant it of
the blood of Uriah, which he could not deny. 2 Sam.
xvi. 7, 8. Moreover, the quarrel will be, at length,
taken up between God and his people; and then
their scourgers will find they had but a thank-
less office, Zech. i. 15. *' I was but a little dis-
pleased, and they helped forward the affliction,"
saith God, in resentment of the heathen crooking the
lot of his people. In like manner are they guilty,
who impute the crook in their lot to fortune, or their
ill-luck, which in very deed is nothing but a creature
of imagination, framed for a blind to keep man from
acknowledging the hand of God. Thus, what the
Philistines doubted, they do more impiously deter-
mine, saying, in effect, " It is not his hand that smote
us, it was a chance that happened to us." 1 Sam.
vi. 9. And, finally, those also are guilty, who, in
the way of giving up themselves to carnal mirth and
sensuality, set themselves to despise the crook in
their lot, to make nothing of it, and to forget it.
I question not, but orte committing his case to the
Lord, and looking to him for remedy in the first
place, may lawfully call in the moderate use of the
comforts of life, for lielp in the second place. But

52 FOR REPROOF.

as for that course so frequent and usual in this case
among carnal men, if the crook of the lot really be,
as indeed it is, of God's makin^r, it must needs be a
most indecent unbecoming course, to be abhorred of
all good men, Prov. iii. 11. " My son, despise not
the chastening of the TiOrd." It is surely a very
desperate method of cure, which cannot miss of
issuing in something worse than the disease, how-
ever it may palliate it for a while, Isa. xxii. 12 — 14.
*' In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weep-
ing and to mourning, and behold joy and gladness,
eating flesh and drinking wine : and it was revealed
in mine ears, by the Lord of hosts. Surely this
iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die."

Secondly, The unsubmissive, w'hose hearts, like
the troubled sea, swell and boil, fret and murmur,
and cannot be at rest under the crook in their lot.
This is a most sinful and dangerous course. The
apostle Jude, characterising some, " to whom is re-
served the blackness of darkness for ever," ver. L3.
saith of them, ver. 16. " These are murrnurers,
complainers," namely, still complaining of their lot,
which is the import of the word there used by the
Holy Ghost. For, since the crook in their lot, which
their unsubdued spirits can by no means submit to,
is of God's making, this their practice must needs
be a fighting against God : and these their com-
plainings and murmurings are indeed against him,
whatever face they put upon them. Thus when the
Israelites murmur against Moses, Numb, xiv. 2.
God charges them with murmuring against himself.
*' How long shall I bear with this evil congrega-
tion, which murmured against me?" ver. 27. Ah!
may not he who made and fashioned us without our
advice, be allowed to make our lot too, without ask-
ing our mind, but we must rise up against him on

FOR CONSOLATION. 53

account of the crook made in it? What doih this
speak, but that the proud creature cannot endure
God's work, nor bear what he hath done? And how
black and dangerous is that temper of spirit ! How
is it possible to miss of being broken to pieces in
such a course? " He is wise in heart, and mighty
in strength: who hath hardened himself against him,
and hath prospered ?" Job. ix. 4.

Thirdly, The careless and unfruitful, who do not
set themselves dutifully to comply with the design
of the crook in their lot. God and nature do no-
thing in vain. Since he makes the crook, there is,
doubtless, a becoming design in it, which we are
obliged in duty to fall in with, according to that,
Micah vi. 9. " Hear ye the rod." And, indeed, if
one shut not his own eyes, but be willing to under-
stand, he may easily perceive the general design
thereof to be, to wean him from this world, and
move him to seek and take up his heart's rest in
God. And nature and the circumstances of the
crook itself being duly considered, it will not be
very hard to make a more particular discovery of
the design thereof. But, alas ! the careless sinner,
sunk in spiritual sloth and stupidity, is in no con-
cern to discover the design of Providence in the
crook ; so he cannot fall in with it, but remains un-
fruitful ; and all the pains taken on him, by the great
Husbandman, in the dispensation, are lost. '♦ They
cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty ;" groan-
ing under the pressure of the crook itself, and
weight of the hand of the instrument thereof: " But
none sailh, Where is God my Maker?'' they look
not, ihey turn not unto God for all that. Job xxxv.
9, 10.

Use 2. For consolation. It speaks comfort to
the atHicted children of God, Whatever is the crook

54 FOR EXHORTATION.

in your lot, it is of God's makinj^, and therefore
you may look upon it kindly. Since it is your
Father has made it for you, question not but there is
a'favourable design in it towards you. A discreet
child welcomes his father's rod, knowing that being
a father, he seeks his benefit thereby ; and shall not
God's children welcome the crook in their lot, as
designed by their Father, who cannot mistake his
measures, to work for their good, according to the
promise ? The truth is, the crook in the lot of a
believer, how painful soever it proves, is a part of
the discipline of the covenant, the nurture secured
to Christ's children, by the promise of the Father,
Psalm Ixxxix. 30, 32. " If his children forsake my
law, and walk not in my judgments, then will I
visit their transgressions with the rod." Further-
more, all who are disposed to betake themselves to
God under the crook in their lot, may take comfort
in this, let them know that there is no crook in their
lot but may be made straight; for God made it,
surely then he can mend it. He himself can make
straight what he hath made crooked, though none
other can. There is nothing too hard for him to
do : " He raiselh up the poor out of the dust, and
lifteth the needy out of the dunghill ; that he may
set him with princes. He maketh the barren wo-
man to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of
children." Psalm cxiii. 7 — 9. Say not that your
crook hath been of so long continuance, that it will
never mend. Put it in the hand of God, who made
it, that he may mend it, and wait on him : and if it
be for your good, that it should be mended, it shall
be mended ; for " no good thing will he withhold
from them that walk uprightly." Psa. Ixxxiv. 11.

Use last. For exhortation. Since the crook in the
lot is of God's making, then, eyeing the hand of

OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 55

God in yours, be reconciled to it, and submit under
it whatever it is ; T say, eyeing the hand of God iv it,
for otherwise your submission under the crook in
your lot cannot be a Christian submission, acceptable
to God, having no reference to him as your party in
the matter.

Object. I. But some will say, " The crook in my
lot is from the hand of the creature ; and such a one
too as I deserved no such treatment from."

Ans. From what hath been already said, it ap-
pears that, although the crook in thy lot be indeed
immediately from the creature's hand, yet it is me-
diately from the hand of God ; there being nothing
of that kind, no penal evil, but the Lord hath done
it. Therefore, without all peradventure, God him-
self is the principal party, whoever be the less prin-
cipal. And albeit thou hast not deserved thy crook
at the hand of the instrument which he makes use of
for thy correction, thou certainly deservest it at his
hand ; and he may make use of what instrument he
will in the matter, or may do it immediately by him-
self, even as seems good in his sight.

Object. II. " But the crook in my lot might
quickly be evened, if the instrument or instruments
thereof pleased ; only there is no dealing with
them, so as to convince them of their fault in mak-
ing it."

Ans. If it is so, be sure God's time is not as yet
come, that the crook should be made even ; for, if it
were come, though they stand now like an impreg-
nable fort, they would give way like a sandy bank
under one's feet : they should bow down to thee with
their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of
thy feet." Isa. xlix. 23. Meanwhile, that state of
the matter is so far from justifying one's not eyeing
the hand of God ijii the crook in the lot, that it makes
7

56 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.

a piece of trial in which his hand very eminently ap-
pears, namely, that men should be signally injurious
and burdensome to others, yet by no means suscep-
tible of conviction. This was the trial of the church
from her adversaries, Jer. 1. 7. " All that found
them have devoured them ; and their adversaries
said. We offend not: because they have sinned
against the Lord, the habitation of justice." They
were very abusive, and gave her barbarous usage ;
yet would they own no fault in the matter. How
could they ward off the conviction? Were they
verily blameless in their devouring the Lord's stray-
ing sheep ? No, surely, they were not. Did they
look upon themselves as ministers of the divine jus-
tice against her? No, they did not.

Some indeed would make a question here, How
the adversaries of the church could celebrate her
God as the habitation of justice ? But the original
pointing of the text being retained, it appears, that
there is no ground at all for this question here, and
withal the whole matter is set in a clear light. " All
that found them have devoured them ; and their ad-
versaries said, We offend not; because they have
sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice."
These last are not the words of the adversaries, but
the words of the prophet showing how it came to
pass that the adversaries devoured the Lord's sheep,
as they lighted on them, and withal stood to the de-
fence of it, when they had done, far from acknow-
ledging any wrong : the matter lay here, the sheep
had sinned against the Lord, the habitation of jus-
tice ; and as a just punishment hereof from his hand,
they could have no justice at the hand of their ad-
versaries.

Wherefore, laying aside tliese frivolous pretences,
and eyeing the hand of God, as that which hath

SUBMISSION ENFORCED. 57

bowed your lot in that part, and keeps it in the bow,
be reconciled to, and submit under the crook, what-
ever it is, saying from the heart, " Truly this is a
grief, and I must bear it." Jer. x. 19. And to move
you hereunto, consider,

1. It is a duty you owe to God, as your sovereign
Lord and Benefactor. His sovereignty challenges
our submission ; and it can in no case be meanness
of spirit to submit to the crook which his hand hath
made in our lot, and to go quietly under the yoke
that he hath laid on ; but it is really madness for the
potsherds of the earth, by their turbulent and refrac-
tory carriage under it, to strive with their Maker.
And his beneficence to us, ill-deserving creatures,
may well stop our mouth from complaining of his
making a crook in our lot, who would have done us
no wrong had he made the whole of it crooked :
*' Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and
shall we not receive evil?" Job ii. 10.

2. It is an unalterable statute, for the time of this
life, that nobody shall want a crook in their lot ; for
" man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward."
Job V. 7. And those who are designed for heaven,
are in a special manner assured of a crook in theirs,
*' that in the world they shall have tribulation," John
xvi. 33 ; for by means thereof the Lord makes them
meet for heaven. And how can you imagine that
you shall be exempted from the common lot of man-
kind ? " Shall the rock be removed out of his
place for thee ?" And since God makes the crooks
in men's lot according to the different exigence of
their cases, you may be sure that yours is necessary
for you.

3. A crook in the lot, which one can by no means
submit to, makes a condition of all things the likest
to that in hell. For there a yoke, which the

68 SUBMISSION ENFORCED.

wretched sufferers can neither bear nor shake off, is
wreathed about their necks ; there the Almighty arm
draws against them, and they against it; there they
are ever suffering and ever sinning ; still in the fur-
nace, but their dross not consumed, nor they puri-
fied. Even such is the case of those who now can-
not submit to the crook in their lot.

4. Great is the loss by not submitting to it. The
crook in the lot, rightly improved, has turned to the
best account, and made the best time to some that
ever they had all their life long, as the Psalmist
from his own experience testifies, Psal. cxix. 67.
" Before I was afflicted I went astray ; but now have
I kept thy word." There are many now in heaven,
who are blessing God for the crook they had in their
lot here. What a sad thing must it then be to lose
this teeth-wind for Immanuel's land ! But if the
crook in thy lot do thee no good, be sure it will not
miss of doing thee great damage ; it will greatly
increase thy guilt and aggravate thy condemnation,
while it shall for ever cut thee to the heart, to think
of the pains taken by means -of the crook in the lot,
to wean thee from the world, and bring thee to God,
but all in vain. Take heed, therefore, how you man-
age it, " Lest — thou mourn at the last- — and say, How
have I hated instruction, and my heart despised re-
proof!" Prov. V. 10—12.

Prop. II. What God sees meet to mar, we shall not
be able to mend in our lot. What crook God
makes in our lot, we shall not be able to even. —
We shall,

L Show God's marrincr and makinf^ a crook in
one's lot, as he sees meet.

GOD S HAND TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED. 59

II. We shall consider men's attempting to mend
or even that crook in their I5t.

III. In what sense it is to be understood, that we
shall not be able to mend, or even the crook in our
lot.

IV. Render some reasons of the point.

I. As to the first head, namely, to show God's
marring and making a crook in one's lot, as he sees
meet.

First, God keeps the choice of every one's crook
to himself; and therein he exerts his sovereignty,
Math. XX. 15. It is not left to our option what that
crook shall be, or what our peculiar burden ; but, as
the potter makes of the same clay one vessel for one
use, another for another use ; so God makes one
crook for one, another for another, according to his
own will and pleasure, Psal. cxxxv. 6. " Whatso-
ever the Lord pleased, that did he, in heaven and in
earth," &c.

Secondly, He sees and observes the bias of every
one's will and inclination, how it lies, and wherein it
especially bends away from himself, and consequently
wherein it needs the special bow ; so he did in that
man's case, Mark x. 21. "One thing thou lackest;
go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to
the poor," &c. Observe the bent of his heart to his
great possessions. He takes notice what is that idol
that in every one's case is most apt to be his rival,
that so he may suit the trial to the case, making the
crook there.

Thirdly, By the conduct of his providence, or a
touch of his hand, he gives that part of one's lot a
bow the contrary ^vay ; so that henceforth it lies
quite contrary to the bias of the party's will, Ezek.
xxiv. 25. And here the trial is made, the bent of
7*

60 OUR WILL OFTEN OPPOSED TO HIS WILL.

the will lying one way, and that part of one's lot ano-
ther, that it does not *swer the inclination of the
party, but thwarts it.

Fourthly. He wills that crook in the lot to remain
while he sees meet, for a longer or shorter time, just
according to the holy ends he designs it for, 2 Sam.
xii. 10. Hos. V. 15. By that will it is so fixed, that
the whole creation cannot alter it, or put it out of the
bow.

II. We shall consider men's attempting to mend
or even that crook in their lot. This, in a word, lies
in their making efforts to bring their lot in that point
to their own will, that they may both go one way;
so it imports three things :

First. A certain uneasiness under the crook in the
lot ; it is a yoke which is hard for the party to bear,
till his spirit be tamed and subdued, Jer. xxxi. 18.
*' Thou hast chastised ms, and I was chastised, as a
bullock unaccustomed to the yoke ; turn thou me,
and I shall be turned," &c. And it is for the break-
ing down of the weight of one's spirit that God lays
it on : for which cause it is declared to be a good
thing to bear it. Lam. iii. 27, that being the way to
make one at length as a weaned child.

Secondly. A strong desire to have the cross re-
moved, and to have matters in that part going ac-
cording to our inclinations. This is very natural,
nature desiring to be freed from every thing that is
burdensome or cross to it ; and if that desire be kept
in a due subordination to the will of God, and it be
not too peremptory, it is not sinful. Matt. xxvi. 39.
" If it be possible, let this cup pass from me ; never-
theless, not as I will," &c. Hence so many accepted
prayers of the people of God, for the removal of the
crook in their lot.

Thirdly. An earnest use of means for that end.

SUCH OPPOSITION VAIN AND FRUITLESS. CI

This naturally follows on that desire. The man be-
ing- pressed with the cross, which is in his crook, la-
bours all he can in the use of means to be rid of it.
And if the means used be lawful, and not relied upon,
but followed with an eye to God in them, the attempt
is not sinful, whether he succeed in the use of them
or not.

in. In what sense it is to be understood, that we
shall not be able to mend or even the crook in our
lot.

It is not to be understood, as if the case were
absolutely hopeless, and that there is no remedy for
the crook in the lot. For there is no case so des-
perate, but G«d may right it. Gen. xviii. 14. "Is
any thing too hard for the Lord ?" When the crook
has continued long, and spurned all remedies one
has used for it, one is ready to lose hope about it ;
but many a crook, given over for hopeless that would
never mend, God has made perfectly straight, as in
Job's case.

But we shall never be able to mend it by our-
selves ; if the Lord himself take it not in hand to re-
move it, it will stand before us immovable, like a
mountain of brass, though perhaps it may be in itself
a thing that might easily be removed. We take it up
in these three things :

1. It will never do by the mere force of our hand.
1 Sam. ii. 9. — " For, by strength shall no man pre-
vail." The most vigorous endeavours we can use
will not even the crook, if God give it not a touch of
his hand ; so that all endeavours that way, without
an eye to God, are vain and fruitless, and will be but
ploughing on the rock. Psalm cxxvii. 1, 2.

2. The use of all allowable means for it, will be
successless unless the Lord bless them for that end,
Lam. iii. 37. " Who is he that saith, and it cometh

62 REASONS ASSIGNED FOR THIS.

to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?" As
one may eat and not be satisfied, so one may use
means proper for evening the crook in his lot, and
yet prevail nothing ; for nothing can be or do for us
any more than God makes it to be or do, Eccl. ix.
11. " The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to
the strong ; neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet
riches to men of understanding," &:c.

3. It will never do in our time, but in God's time,
which seldom is so early as ours, John vii. 6. " My
time is not yet come, but your time is always ready."
Hence that crook remains sometimes immovable, as
if it were kept by an invisible hand ; and at another
time it goes away with a touch, becainse God's time
is come for evening it.

IV. We shall now assign the reasons of the point.

1st. Because of the absolute dependence we have
upon God. Acts xvii. 28. As the light depends on
the sun, or the shadow on the body, so we depend on
God, and without him can do nothing, great or small.
And God will have us to find it so, to teach us our
dependence.

2dly. Because his will is irresistible, Isa. xlvi. 10.
" My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my plea-
sure." When God wills one thing, and the creature
the contrary, it is easy to see which will must be
done. When the omnipotent arm holds, in vain
does the creature draw. Job ix. 4. *' Who hath
hardened himself against him and prospered?"

Inference 1 . There is a necessity of yielding and
submitting to the crook in our lot ; for we may as
well think to remove the rocks and mountains, which
God has settled, as to make that part of our lot
straight which he hath made crooked.

2. The evening of the crook in our lot, by main
force of our own, is but a cheat we put on ourselves,

MOTIVES TO INDUCE SUBMISSION. 63

and will not last, but, like a stick by main force
made straight, it will quickly return to the bow
again.

3. The only effectual way of getting the crook
evened, is to apply to God for it.

Exhortation 1. Let us then apply to God for re-
moving any crook in our lot, that in the settled or-
der of things may be removed. Men cannot cease
to desire the removal of a crook, more than that of a
thorn in the flesh : but, since we are not able to mend
what God sees meet to mar, it is evident we are to
apply to him that made it to amend it, and not take
the evening of it in our own hand.

Motive 1. All our attempts for its removal will,
without him, be vain and fruitless. Psal. cxxvii. 1.
Let us be as resolute as we will to have it evened, if
God say it not, we will labour in vain. Lam. iii. 37.
Howsoever fair the means we use bid for it, they
will be ineflfectual if he command not the blessing.
Eccl. ix. 11.

2. Such attempts will readily make it worse. No-
thing is more ordinary, than for a proud spirit striving
with the crook, to make it more crooked, Eccl. x. 8,
9. *' Whoso breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite
him. Whoso removeth stones, shall be hurt there-
with," &c. This is evident in the case of the mur-
murers in the wilderness. It naturally comes to be
so ; because, at that rate, the will of the party bends
farther away from it : and, moreover, God is pro-
voked to wreath the yoke faster about one's neck,
that he will by no means let it sit easy on him.

3. There is no crook but what may be remedied
by him, and made perfectly straight, Psal. cxlvi. 8.
*' The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down," Sic.
He can perform that, concerning which there re-
mains no hope with us, Rom. iv. 17. " Who quick-

64 MOTIVES TO INDUCE SUBMISSION.

enelh the dead, and calleth those things which be not
as though they were ?" It is his prerogative to do
wonders ; to begin a work, where the whole creation
gives it over as hopeless, and carry it on to perfec-
tion. Gen. xviii. 14.

4. He loves to be employed in evening crooks,
and calls us to employ him that way, Psal. 1. 15.
" Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will
deliver thee," &c. He makes them for that very
end, that he may bring us to him on that errand, and
may manifest his power and goodness in evening of
them. Hos. v. 15. The straits of the children of
men afford a large field for displaying his glorious
perfections, which otherwise would be wanting.
Exod. XV. 11.

5. A crook thus evened is a double mercy. There
are some crooks evened by a touch of the hand of
common providence, while people are either not ex-
ercised about them, or when they fret for Ntheir re-
moval; these are sapless mercies, and short-lived.
Psal. Ixxviii. 30, 31. Hos. xiii. 11. Fruits thus too
hastily plucked off the tree of providence can hardly
miss to set the teeth on edge, and will certainly be
bitter to the gracious soul. But O the sweets of the
evening of the crook by a humble application to, and
waiting on the Lord ! It has the image and super-
scription of divine favour upon it, which makes it
bulky and valuable. Gen. xxxiii. 10. " For therefore
I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face
of God," 6lc. chap. xxi. 6.

6. God has signalized his favour to his dearest
children, in making and mending notable crooks in
their lot. His darling ones ordinarily have the
greatest crooks made in their lot. Heb. xii. 6. But
then they make way for their richest experiences in
the removal of them, upon their application to him.

OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. G5

This is clear from the case of Abraham, Jacob, and
Joseph. Which of the patriarchs had so great crooks
as they? but which of them, on the other hand, had
such signal tokens of the divine favour ? The greatest
of men, as Samson and the Baptist, have been born
of women naturally barren ; so do the greatest crooks
issue in the richest mercies to them that are exercised
thereby.

7. It is the shortest and surest way to go straight
to God with the crook in the lot. If we would have
our wish in that point, we must, as the eagle, first
soar aloft, and then come down on the prey. Mark
V. 36. Our faithless out-of-the-way attempts to even
the crook, are but our fool's haste, that is no speed;
as in the case of Abraham's going in to Hagar. God
is the first mover, who sets all the wheels in motion
for evening the crook, which without him will remain
immovable. Hos. ii. 21, 22.

Object. 1. " But it is needless, for I see, that
though the crook in my lot may mend, yet it never
will mend. In its own nature it is capable of being
removed, but it is plain it is not to be removed, it is
hopeless."

Ans. That is the language of unbelieving haste,
which faith and patience should correct. Psal. cxvi.
11, 12. Abraham had as much to say for the hop'fe-
lessness of his crook, but yet he applies to God in
faith for the mending of it. Rom. iv. 19, 20. Sarah
had made such a conclusion, for which she was re-
buked. Gen. xviii. 13, 14. Nothing can make it
needless in such a case to apply to God.

Object. 2. "But I have applied to him again and
again for it,. yet it is never mended."

Ans. Delays are not denials of suits at the court
of heaven, but trials of the faith and patience of the
petitioners. And whoso will persevere will certainly

bb HOW TO GET THE CROOK REMOVED.

speed at length, Luke xviii. 7, 8. *' And shall not
God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night
unto him, though he bear long with them ? I tell
you that he will avenge them speedily." Sometimes
indeed folks grow pettish, in the case of the crook in
the lot, and let it drop out in their prayers, in a
course of despondency, while yet it continues uneasy
to them ; but, if God mind to even it in mercy, he
will oblige them to take it in again, Ezek. xxxvi.
37. " I will yet, for this, be inquired of by the house
of Israel, to do it for them," &c. If the removal
come, while it is dropt, there will be little comfort in
it: though it were never to be removed while we live,
that should not cut off our applying to God for the
removal; for there are many prayers not to be an-
swered till we come to the other world, Rom. vii.
24, and there all will be answered at once.

Directions for rightly managing the application for
removing the crook in the lot.

1. Pray for it, Ezek. xxxvi. 37. and pray in faith,
believing that, for the sake of Jesus, you shall cer-
tainly obtain at length, and in this life too, if it is
good for you ; but without peradventure in the life to
come. Matt. xxi. 22. They will not be disappointed
that get the song of Moses and of the Lamb. Rev.
XV. 3. And, in some cases of that nature, extraor-
dinary prayer, with fasting, is very expedient. Matt,
xvii. 21.

2. Humble yourselves under it, as the yoke which
the sovereign hand has laid on you, Micah, vii. 9.
*' I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I
have sinned against him," <fec. Justify God, con-
demn yourselves, kiss the rod, and go quietly under
it ; this is the most feasible way to get rid of it, the

HOW TO OBTAIN RELIEF UNDER IT. 67

end being obtained. James iv. 10. *' Thou wilt
prepare their liearts, thou wilt cause thine ear to
hear." Psal. x. 17.

3. Wait on patiently till the hand that made it
mend it, Psal. xxvii. 14. Do not give up the matter
as hopeless, because you are not so soon relieved as
you would wish ; " But let patience have her per-
fect work, that ye may be .perfect and entire, want-
ing nothing." James i. 4. — Leave the timing of the
deliverance to the Lord ; his time will at length, to
conviction, appear the best, and it will not go be-
yond it. Isa. Ix. 22. " I, the Lord, will hasten it in
his time ;" waiting on him, ye will not be disap-
pointed, " For they shall not be ashamed that wait
for me. Isa. xlix. 23.

Exhortation 2. What crook there is, which, in
the settled order of things, cannot be removed or
evened in this world, let us apply to God for suit-
able relief under it. For instance, the common
crook in the lot of saints, viz. hi-dwelling sin ; as
God has made that crook not to be removed here
he can certainly balance it, and aftbrd relief under it.
The same is to be said of any crook, while it remains
unremoved. In such cases apply yourself to God,
for making up your losses another way. And there
are five things I would have you to keep in view,
and aim at here.

1. To take God in Christ for, and instead of that
thing, the withholding or taking away of which from
you makes the crook in your lot. Psal. cxlii. 4, 5.
There is never a crook which God makes in our lot,
but it is in effect heaven's offer of a blessed exchange
to us ; such as Mark x. 21. " Sell whatsoever thou
hast, — and thou shalt have treasure in heaven." In
managing of which exchange, God first puts out his
hand, and takes away some earthly thing from us,
8

(38 HOW TO OBTAIN RELIEF UNDER IT.

and it is expected we put out our hand next, and take
some heavenly thing from him in the stead of it, and
particularly his Christ. Wherefore has God emptied
your left hand of such and such an earthly comfort?
Stretch out your right-hand to God in Christ, take
him in the room of it, and welcome. Therefore the
soul's closing with Christ is called buying, wherein
parting with one thing, we get another in its stead,
Matt. xiii. 45, 46. " The kingdom of heaven is like
unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls: who,
when he had found one pearl of great price, he went
and sold all that he had and bought it." Do this,
and you will be more than even hands with the crook
in your lot.

2. Look for the stream running as full from him
as ever it did or could run, when the crook of the lot
has dried it. This is the work of faith, confidently
to depend on God for that which is denied us from
the creature. " When my father and mother forsake
me, then the Lord will take me up." Psal. xxvii. 10.
This is a most rational expectation: for it is certain
there is no good in the creature but what is from
God; therefore there is no good to be found in the
creature, the stream, but what may be got imme-
dietely from God, the fountain. And it is a welcome
plea, to come to God and say. Now, Lord, thou hast
taken away from me such a creature-comfort, I must
have as good from thyself.

3. Seek for the spiritual fruits of the crook in the
lot. Heb. xii. H. We see the way in the world is,
when one trade fails, to fall on, and drive another
trade ; so should we, when there is a crook in the
lot, making our earthly comforts low, set ourselves
the more for spiritual attainments. If our trade
with the world sinks, let us see to drive a trade with
heaven more vigorously; see, if by means of the

HOW TO BEAR IT WELL. 69

crook, we can obtain more faith, love, hcavenly-
mindedness, contempt of the world, humility, self-
denial, &LC. 2 Cor. vi. 10. So while we lose at one
hand, we shall gain at another.

4. Grace to bear us up under the crook, 2 Cor.
xii. 8, 9. " For this thing I besought the Lord thrice ;"
and he said, " My grace is sufficient for thee."
Whether a man be faint, and have a light burden, or
be refreshed, and strengthened, and have a heavy
one, it is all the same; the latter can go as easy
under his burden as the former under his. Grace
proportioned to the trial is what we should aim at;
getting that, though the crook be not evened, we are
even hands with it.

5. The keeping in our eye the eternal rest and
weight of glory in the other Avorld, 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18.
*' For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory; while we look not at the things which
are seen, but at the things which are not seen." This
will balance tlje crook in your lot, be it what it will;
while they who have no well-grounded hope of sal-
vation, will find the crook in their lot in this world
such a weight, as they have nothing to counter-
balance it; but the hope of eternal rest may bear up
under all the toil and trouble met with here.

Exhortation 3. Let us then set ourselves rightly
to bear the crook in our lot, while God sees meet to
continue it. What we cannot mend, let us bear
chrisiianly, and not fight against God, and so kick
against the pricks. So let us bear it,

1. Patiently, without fuming and fretting, or mur-
muring, James v. 7. Psal. xxxvii. 7. Though we
lose our comfort in the creature, through the crook
in our lot, let us not lose the possession of ourselves.
Luke xxi. 19. The crook in our lot makes us like

70 EXHORTATION TO THIS EFFECT.

one who has but a scanty fire to warm at : but im-
patience under it scatters it, so as to set the house on
fire about us, and expose us to danger. Prov. xxv.
28. " He that hath no rule over his own spirit,
is like a city that is broken down, and without
walls."

2. With Christian fortitude, without sinking under
discouragement — " nor faint when thou art rebuked
of him." Heb. xii. 5. Satan's work is by the crook,
either to bend or break people's spirits, and often-
times by bending to break them : our work is to
carry evenly under it, steering a middle course, '
guarding against splitting on the rocks on either
hand. Our happiness lies not in any earthly comfort,
nor will the want of any of them render us miserable.
Hab. iii. 17, 18. So that we are resolutely to hold
on our way with a holy contempt, and regardless-
ness of hardships. Job xvii. 9. " The righteous also
shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands
shall be stronger and stronger."

Quest. " When may any one be reckoned to fall
under sinking discouragement from the crook in his
lot?"

Ans. When it prevails so far as to unfit for the
duties, either of our particular or Christian calling.
We may be sure it has carried us beyond the bounds
of moderate grief, when it unfits us for the common
affairs of life, which the Lord calls us to manage.
1 Cor. vii. 24. Or for the duties of religion, hin-
dering them altogether. 1 Pet. iii. 7. " That your
prayers be not hindered," (Greek, cut off, or cut up,
like a tree from the roots,) or making one quite
hopeless in them. Mai. ii. 13.

3. Let us bear it profitably, so as we may gain
some advantage thereby. Psal. cxix. 71. '*It is good
for me that I have been afflicted ; that I might learn

MOTIVES TO PRESS THIS EXHORTATION. 71

thy statutes." There is an advantage to be made
thereby, Rom. v. 3 — 5. And it is certainly an ill-
managed crook in our lot, when we get not some
spiritual good of it. Heb. xii. 11. The crook is a
kind of spiritual medicine ; and as it is lost physic
that purges away no ill humours, in vain are its un-
pleasantness to the taste and its gripings endured;
so it is a lost crook, and ill is the bitterness of it borne
if we are not bettered by it. Isa. xxvii. 9. " By this,
therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and
this is all the fruit, to take away his sin."

Motives to press this exhortation.

Motive 1. There will be no evening of it while
God sees meet to continue it. Let us behave under
it as we will, and make what sallies we please in
the case, it will continue immovable, as fixed with
bands of iron and brass. Job xxiii. 13, 14. "But he
is of one mind, and who can turn him? and what
his soul desireth, even that he doth. For he per-
formeth the thing that is appointed for me; and
many such things are with him." Is it not wisdom
then to make the best we may of what we cannot
mend? Make a virtue then of necessity. What is
not to be cured must be endured, and should with
a Christian resignation.

Motive 2. An awkward carriage under it notably
increases the pain of it. AVhat makes the yoke gall
our necks, but that we struggle so much against it,
and cannot let it sit at ease on us. Jer. xxxi. 18.
How often are we, in that case, like men dashing
their heads against a rock to remove it ! The rock
stands unmoved, but they are wounded, and lose
exceedingly by their struggle. Impatience under the
crook lays an over-weight on the burden, and makes
it heavier, while withal it weakens us, and makes us
less able to bear it.

8*

72 QUESTION ANSWERED.

Motive 3. The crook in thy lot is the special
trial God has chosen for thee to take thy measure
by. 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. It is God's fire, whereby he tries
what metal men are of; heaven's touchstone for dis-
covering true and counterfeit Christians. They may
bear, and go through several trials, whom the crook
in the lot will discover to be naught, because, by no
means they can bear that. Mark x. 21, 22. Think
then with thyself under it; now, here the trial of
my state turns ; I must, by this, be proved either
sincere, or a hypocrite ; for, can any be a cordial
subject of Christ, without being able to submit his
lot to him? Do not all who sincerely come to
Christ, put a blank in his hand ? Acts ix. 6. Psal.
xlvii. 4. And does he not tell us, that without that
disposition we are not his disciples ? Luke xiv. 26.
" If any man come to me, and hate not his father
and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren,
and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be
my disciple." Perhaps you find you can submit to
any thing but that ; but will not that but mar all ;
Mark x. 21, 22. Did ever any hear of a sincere
closing with Christ with a reserve or exception of
one thing, wherein they behoved to be their own
lords ?

Quest. " Is that disposition then a qualification
necessarily pre-required to our believing : and if so,
where must we have it? Can we work it out of our
natural powers ?"

Ans. No, it is not so ; but it necessarily accom-
panies and goes along with believing, flowing from
the same saving illumination in the knowledge of
Christ, whereby the soul is brought to believe on
him. Hereby the soul sees him an able Saviour, and
so trusts on him for salvation ; the rightful Lord and
infinitely wise Ruler, and so submits the lot to him.

DIFFICULTY SOLVED. 73

Matt. xiii. 45, 46. The soul taking him for a Sa-
viour, takes him also for a head and ruler. It is
Christ's giving himself to us, and our receiving him,
that causes us to quit other things to and for him, as
it is the light that dispels the darkness.

Case. " Alas ! 1 cannot get my heart freely to
submit my lot to him in that point."

Ans. 1. That submission will not be carried on in
any without a struggle ; the old man will never sub-
mit to it, and when the new man of grace is sub-
mitting to it, the old man will still be rebelling. Gal.
V. 17. " For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and
the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary,
the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things
that ye would ;" but are ye sincerely desirous and
habitually aiming to submit to it? From the un-
gracious struggle against the crook, turn away to
the struggle with your own heart to bring it to sub-
mit, believing the promise, and using the means for
it, being grieved from the heart with yourself, that
you cannot submit to it. This is submitting of
your lot, in the favourable construction of the gos-
pel. Rom. vii. 17 — 20; 2 Cor. viii. 12. If you had
your choice, would you rather have your heart
brought to submit to the crook, than the crook
evened to your heart's desire? Rom. vii. 22, 23.
And do you not sincerely endeavour to submit, not-
withstanding the reluctancy of the flesh? Gal.
v. 17.

Ans. 2. Where is the Christian self-denial, and
taking up the cross, without submitting to the crook?
This is the first lesson Christ puts in the hands of
his disciples, Matt. xvi. 24. ^' If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross,
and follow me." Self-denial would procure a recon-
^ciliation with the crook, and an admittance of the

74 ADDITIONAL MOTIVES URGED.

cross : but while we cannot bear our corrupt self to
be denied any of its cravings, and particularly that
which God sees meet especially to be denied, we
cannot bear the crook in our lot, but fight against it
in favour of self.

Ans. 3. Where is our conformity to Christ, while
we cannot submit to the crook? We cannot evi-
dence ourselves Christians, without conformity to
Christ. " He that saith he abideth in him, ought
himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John
ii. 6. There was a continued crook in Christ's lot,
but he submitted to it, Phil. ii. 8. " And being
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. Rom. xv. 3. For even Christ pleased not
himself, &lc. And so must we, if we will prove
ourselves Christians indeed. Matt. xi. 29.; 2 Tim. ii.
11, 12.

Ans. 4. How shall we prove ourselves the genuine
kindly children of God, if still warring with the
crook ? We cannot pray. Our Father — Thy will be
done on earth, as, &c. Matt. vi. Nay, the language
of that practice is, We must have our own will, and
God's will cannot satisfy us.

Motive 4. The trial by the crook here will not last
long. 1 Cor. vii. 29 — 31. What though the work
be sore, it may be the better comported with, that it
will not be longsome ; a few days or years at farthest,
will put an end to it, and take you off your trials.
Do not say, I shall never be eased of it; for if not
eased before, you will be eased of it at death, come
after it what will. A serious view of death and
eternity might make us set ourselves to behave rightly
under our crook while it lasts.

Motive 5. If you would, in a Christian manner,
set yourselves to bear the crook, you would find it

ADDITIONAL MOTIVES URGED. 75

easier than you imagine, Matt. xi. 29, 30. " Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me, and ye shall
find rest to your souls ; for my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light." Satan has no readier way to gain
his purpose, than to persuade men it is impossible,
that ever their minds should ply with the crook ;
that it is a burden to them, altogether insupport-
able ; as long as you believe that, be sure you will
never be able to bear it. But the Lord makes no
crook in the lot of any, but what may be borne of
them acceptably, though not sinlessly and perfectly.
Matt. xi. 30. For there is strength for that eiSect
secured in the covenant, 2 Cor. iii. 5; Phil. iv. 13,
and being by faith fetched, it will certainly come,
Psal. xxviii. 7.

Motive 6. If you behave Christianly under your
crook here, you will not lose your labour, but get a
full reward of grace in the other world, through
Christ. 2 Tim. ii. 12 ; 1 Cor. xv. 58. There is a
blessing pronounced on him that endureth on this
very ground, James i. 12. " Blessed is the man
that endureth temptation ; for, when he is tried, he
shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath
promised to them that love him." Heaven is the
place into which the approved, upon the trial of the
crook are received. Rev. vii. 14. " These are they
which came out of great tribulation, and have washed
their robes, and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb." When you come there, no vestiges of it
will be remaining in your lot, nor will you have the
least uneasy remembrance of it; but it will accent
your praises, and increase your joy.

Motive 7. If you do not behave Christianly under
it, you will lose your souls in the other world, Jude
15, 16. Those who are at war with God in their
lot here, God will have war with them for ever. If

76 THE CROOK, THE WORK OF GOD.

they will not submit to tiis yoke here, and go quietly
under it, he will wreathe his yoke about their neck
for ever, with everlasting bonds that shall never be
loosed. Job ix. 4. Therefore set yourselves to be-
have rightly under the crook in your lot.

If you ask what way one may reach that; for
direction we propose,

Prop. III. The considering the crook in the lot, as
the ivork of God, is a proper means to bring one
to behave rightly under it.

I. What it is to consider the crook as the work of
God. We take it up in these five things:

First, An inquiry into the spring whence it rises.
Gen. XXV. 22. Reason and religion both teach us,
not only to notice the crook, which we cannot avoid,
but to consider and inquire into the spring of it.
Surely, it is not our choice, nor do we designedly
make it for ourselves : and to ascribe it to fortune is
to ascribe it to nothing: it is not sprung of itself, but
sown by one hand or another for us. Job v. 6. And
we are to notice the hand from whence it comes.

Secondly, A perceiving of the hand of God in it.
Whatever hand any creatures have therein, we ought
not to terminate our view in them, but look above
and beyond them to the supreme manager's agency.
Job i. 21. Without this we shall make a God of
the creature that is instrumental of the crook, look-
ing on it as if it were the first cause, which is pecu-
liar to God, Rom. xi. 36, and bring ourselves under
that doom. Psalm xxviii, 5. " Because they regard
not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his
hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them
up."

Thirdly, A representing it to ourselves as a work

ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL. 77

of God, which he hath wrought against us for holy
and wise ends, becoming the divine perfections.
This is to take it by the right handle, to represent it
to ourselves, under a right notion, from whence a
right management under it may spring. It can
never be safe to overlook God in it, but very safe to
overlook the creature; ascribing it unto God, as if no
other hand were in it, his being always the principal
therein. *' It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth
him good." 1 Sam. iii. 18. Thus David overlooked
Shimei, and looked to God in the matter of his
cursing, as one fixing his eyes, not on the axe, but
on him that wielded it. Here two things are to
come into our consideration.

1st. The decree of God, purposing that crook for
us from eternity ; " for he worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will," Eph. i. 11, the sealed
book, in which are written all the black lines that
make the crook. Whatever valleys of darkness,
grief, and sorrow, we are carried through, we are to
look on them as made by the mountains of brass,
the immovable divine purposes. Zech. vi. 1. This
Gan be no presumption in that case, if we carry it no
further than the event goes in our sight and feeling :
for so far the book is opened for us to look into.

2dly. The providence of God bringing to pass
that crook for us in time. Amos iii. 6. There is
nothing can befall us without him in whom we live.
Whatever kind of agency of the creatures may be in
the making of our crook, whatever they have done
or not done towards it, he is the spring that sets all
the created wheels in motion, which ceasing, they
would all stop : though he is still infinitely pure in
his agency, however impure they be in theirs. Job
considerd both these, eh. xxiii. 14.

Fourthly. A continuing in the thought of it as

78 USE OF THIS CONSIDERATION.

such. It is not a simple glance of the eye, but a con-
templating and leisurely viewing of it as his work,
that is the proper mean. We are to be,

1st. Habitually impressed with this consideration:
as the crook is some lasting grievance, so the con-
sideration of this as the remedy should be habitually
kept up. There are other considerations besides this
that we must entertain, so that we cannot always
have it expressly in our mind: but we must lay it
down for a rooted principle, according to which we
are to manage the crook, and keep the heart in a
disposition, whereby it may expressly slip into our
minds, as occasion calls.

2dly. We are to be occasionally exercised in it.
AVhenever we begin to feel the smart of the crook,
we should fetch in this remedy; when the yoke be-
gins to gall the neck, there should be an application
of this spiritual ointment. And however often the
former comes in on us, it will be our wisdom to fetch
in the latter as the proper remedy; the oftener it is
used, it will more easily come to hand, and also be
the more effectual.

Fifthly. A considering it for the end for which it
is proposed to us, namely, to bring us to a dutiful
carriage under it. Men's corruptions will cause them
to enter on the consideration of it: but as the prin-
ciple is, so the end and effect of it will be corrupt.
2 Kings vi. 33. But we must enter on, and use it
for a good end, if we would have good of it, taking
it as a practical consideration for regulating our con-
duct under the crook.

II. How it is to be understood to be a proper
means to bring one to behave rightly under the
crook.

Not as if it were sufficient of itself, and as it stands
alone, to produce that effect. But as it is used in

INDISPENSABLE NECESSITY OF FAITH. 79

faith, in the faith of the gospel ; that is to say, A
sinner's bare considering the crook in his lot as the
work of God, without any saving relation to him,
will never be a way to behave himself righdy under
it: but having believed in Jesus Christ, and so
taking God for his God, the considering of the
crook as the work of God, his God, is the proper
means to bring him to that desirable temper and be-
haviour. Many hearers mistake here. When they
hear such and such lawful considerations proposed
for bringing them to duty, they presently imagine,
that by the mere force of them, they may gain the
point. And many preachers too, who, forgetting
Christ and the gospel, pretend by the force of reason
to make men Christians ; the eyes of both being
held, that they do not see the corruption of men's
nature, which is such as sets the true cure above the
force of reason : all that they are sensible of, being
some ill habits, which they think may be shaken off
by a vigorous application of their rational facul-
ties. To clear this matter, consider,

First. Is it rational to think to set fallen man,
with his corrupted nature, to work the same way
with innocent Adam? that is to set beggars on a
level with the rich, lame men to a journey with those
that have limbs. Innocent Adam had a stock of
gracious abilities, whereby he might, by the force
of moral considerations, have brought himself to
perform duty aright. But where is that with us ?
2 Cor. iii. 5. Whatever force be in them to a soul
endowed with spiritual life, what power have they to
raise the dead, such as we are ? Eph. ii. 1.

Secondly. The scripture is very plain on this

head, showing the indispensable necessity of faith ;

Heb. xi. and that, such as unites to Christ, John

XV. 5. " Without me," that is, separate from me,

9

80 INDISPENSABLE NECESSITY OF FAITH.

" ye can do nothing ;" no, not with all the moral
considerations ye can use. How were the ten com-
mandments given on mount Sinai ? not as bare exac-
tions of duty, but fronted with the gospel, to be be-
lieved in the first place ; " I am the Lord thy God."
&c. And so Solomon, whom many regard rather
as a moral philosopher, than an inspired writer
leading to Christ, fronts his writings, in the begin-
ning of the Proverbs, with most express gospel.
And must we have it expressly repeated in our
Bibles with every moral precept, or else shut our
eyes and take these precepts without it? that is the
effect of our natural enmity to Christ. If we loved>
him more, we should see him more in every page,
and in every command, receiving the law at his mouth.
Thirdly. Do but consider what it is to believe
rightly under the crook in the lot; what humilia-
tion of soul, self-denial, and absolute resignation to
the will of God must be in it: what love to God it
must proceed from ; how regard to his glory must
influence it as the chief end thereof; and try, and
see if it is not impossible for you to reach it without
that faith aforementioned. I know a Christian may
reach it without full assurance: but still, according
to the measure of their persuasion that God is their
God, so will their attainments in it be ; these keep
equal pace. O what kind of hearts do they imagine
themselves to have, that think they can for a mo-
ment empty them of the creature, farther than they
can fill them with a God, as their God, in its room
and stead ! No doubt men may, from the force of
moral considerations, work themselves to a beha-
viour under the crook, externally right, such as
many pagans had ; but a Christian disposition of
spirit under it will never be reached, without that
faith in God.

IMPORTANCE OF DUE CONSIDERATION. 81

Object. " Then it is saints only that are capable of
the improvement of that consideration."

Ans. Yea, indeed it is so, as to that and all other
moral considerations, for true Christian ends : and
that amounts to no more, than that directions for
walking rightly are only for the living, that have the
use of their limbs : and, therefore, that ye may
improve it, set yourselves to believe in the first place.

III. I shall confirm that it is a proper mean to
bring one to behave rightly under it. This will ap-
pear, if we consider these four things.

1. It is of great use to divert from the considering
and dwelling on those things about the crook, which
serve to irritate our corruption. Such are the balk-
ing of our will and wishes, the satisfaction we should
have in the matter's going according to our mind,
the instruments of the crook, how injurious they are
to us, how unreasonable, how obstinate, &;c. The
dwelling on these considerations is but the blowing of
the fire within ; but to turn our eyes to it as the work
of God, would be a cure by way of diversion, 2 Sam.
vi. 9, 10 ; and such diversion of the thoughts is not
only lawful, but expedient and necessary.

2. It has a moral aptitude for producing this good
effect. Though our cure is not compassed by the
mere force of reason ; yet it is carried on, not by a
brutal movement, but in a rational way. Eph. v. 14.
This consideration has a moral efficacy on our
reason, it is fit to awe us into a submission, and mi-
nisters a deal of argument for behaving christianly
under our crook.

3. It has a divine appointment for that end, which
is to be believed. Prov. iii. 6. So the text. The
creature in itself is an inefficacious and moveless
thing, a mere vanity. Acts xvii. 28. That which
makes any thing a means fit for the end, is a word

82 IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUBJECT.

of divine appointment. Matt. iv. 4. To use any
thing then for an end, without the faith of this, is
to make a god of the creature ; therefore it is to be
used in a dependence on God, according to that
word of appointment. 1 Tim. iv. 4, 5. And every
thing is fit for the end for which C4od has appointed
it. This consideration is appointed for that end ;
and therefore is a fit means for it.

4. The Spirit may be expected to work by it, and
does work by it, in them that believe, and look to
him for it, for as much as it is a mean of his own ap-
pointment. Papists, legalists, and all superstitious
persons, devised various means of sanctification,
seeming to have, or really having, a moral fitness
for the same; but they are quite ineffectual, because,
like Abana and Pharpar, they want a word of divine
appointment for curing us of our leprosy; there-
fore the Spirit works not by them, since they are
not his instruments, but devised of their own hearts.
And since even the means of divine appointment are
ineffectual without the Spirit, these can never be
eflfectual. But this consideration having a divine
appointment, the Spirit works by it.

Use. Then take this direction for your behaving
rightly under the crook in your lot. Inure your-
selves to consider it as the work of God. And fot
helping you to improve it, so as it may be eflfectual,
I offer these advices :

1. Consider it as the work of your God in Christ.
This is the way to sprinkle it with gospel-grace, and
so to make it tolerable. Psal. xxii. 1. The discern-
ing of a Father's hand in the crook will take out
much of the bitterness of it, and sugar the pill to
you. For this cause it will be necessary, (1) So-
lemnly to take God for your God, under your crook,
Psal. cxlii. 4. 5. (2) In all your encounters with it,

ADVANTAGE OF HUMILITY 83

resolutely to believe, and claim your interest in him,
1 Sam. XXX. 6.

2. Enlarge the consideration with a view of the
divine relations to you, and the divine attributes,
Consider it, being the work of your God, the work of
your Father, elder Brother, Head, Husband, &;c., who
therefore, surely consults your good. Consider his
holiness and justice, showing he wrongs you not;
his mercy and goodness, that it is not worse ; his
sovereignty, that may silence you ; his infinite wis-
dom and love, that may satisfy you in it.

3. Consider what a work of his it is, how it is
a convincing work, for bringing sin to remem-
brance ; a correcting work, to chastise you for your
follies ; a preventing work, to hedge you up from
courses of sin you would otherwise be apt to run
into ; a trying work, to discover your state, your
graces, and corruptions ; a weaning work, to wean
you from the world and fit you for heaven.

4. In all your considerations of it in this manner,
look upward for his Spirit, to render them effectual,
1 Cor. iii. G. — Thus may ye behave christianly under
it, till God make it even either here or in heaven.

Prov. xvi. 19.

Better it is to le of cm humble spirit with the lowly,
than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Could men once be brought to believe, that it is
better to have their minds bend to the crook in their
lot, than to force the crook to their mind* they would
be in a fair way to bring their matters to a good ac-
count. Hear then the divine decision in that case :
*' Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the

84 THE LOWLY AND THE PROUD CONTRASTED.

lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud." In
which words,

First. There is a comparison instituted, and that
between two parties, and two points wherein they
vastly differ.

1st. The parties are the lowly and the proud,
who differ like heaven and earth : the proud are
climbing up and soaring aloft ; the lowly are content
to creep on the ground, if that is the will of God.
Let us view them more particularly as the text re-
presents them.

On the one hand is the lowly. Here there is a
line-reading and a marginal, both from the Holy
Spirit, and they differ only in a letter. The former
is the afflicted or poor, that are low in their condi-
tion ; those that have a notable crook in their lot
through affliction laid on them, whereby their condi-
tion is lowered in the World. The other is the lowly
or meek humble ones, who are low in their spirit, as
^vell as their condition, and so have their minds
brought down to their lot. Both together making
the character of this lowly party.

On the other hand is the proud ; the gay and high
minded ones. It is supposed here that they are
crossed too, and have crooks in their lot; for, di-
vinding the spoil is the consequent of a victory, and a
victory presupposes a battle.

2nd. The points wherein these parties are sup-
posed to differ, viz : being of a humble spirit, and
dividing the spoil.

Afflicted and lowly ones may sometimes get their
condition changed, may be raised up on high, and
divide the spoil, as Hannah, Job, <fec. The proud
may sometimes be thrown down and crushed, as
Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, <fec. But that is not the
question, Whether it is better to be raised up with

THE PREFERENCE GIVEN TO THE LOWLY. 85

the lowly, or thrown down with the proud ? There
would be no difficulty in determining that. But the
question is, Whether it is better to be of a low and
humble spirit, in low circumstances, with afflicted
humble ones; or to divide the spoil, and get one's
will, with the proud ? If men would speak the na-
tive sentiments of their hearts, that question would
be determined in a contradiction to the text. The
points then here compared and set one against
another, are these :

On the one hand, to be of a humble spirit with
afflicted lowly ones. (Heb.) To be low of spirit;
for the word primarily denotes lowness in situation
or state : so the point here proposed is to be with,
or in the state of, afflicted lowly ones, having the
spirit brought down to that low lot; the lowness
of the spirit balancing the lowness of one's condi-
tion.

On the other hand to divide the spoil with the
proud. The point here proposed is, to be with or
in the state of the proud, having their lot by main
force brought to their mind; as those who, taking
•themselves to be injured, fight it out with the enemy,
overcome and divide the spoil according to their
will.

Secondly. The decision made, wherein the former
is preferred to the latter; " Better is it to be of an
humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil
with the proud." If these two parties were set
before us, it were better to take our lot with those of
a low condition, who have their spirits brought as
low as their lot, than with those, who, being of a
proud and high spirit, have their lot brought up to
their mind. A humble spirit is better than a height-
ened condition.

86 THE LOWLY RARELY TO BE FOUND

DocT. There is a generation of loivly afflicted ones,
having their spirit lowered and brought dow7i to
their lot ; tvhose case, in that respect, is better than
that of the proud getting their will, and carrying
all to their mind.

I. We shall consider the generation of the lowly
afflicted ones, having their spirit brought down to
their lot. And we shall,

First. Lay down some general considerations
about them.

1. There is such a generation in the world, bad as
the world is. The text expressly mentions them,
and the scripture elsewhere speaks of them ; as
Psal. ix. 12. and x. 12. Mattli. v. 3. with Luke vi.
20. Where shall we seek them 1 Not in heaven,
there are no afflicted ones there ; nor in hell, there
are no lowly or humble ones there, whose spirit is
brought to their lot. Li this world they must then
be, where the state of trial is.

2. If it were not so, Christ, as he was in the world,
would have no followers in it. He was the head of
that generation whom they all copy after; "Learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart." Matt,
xi. 29. And for his honour, and the honour of his
cross, they wUl never be wanting while the world
stands, Rom. viii. 29. " Whom he did foreknow he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of
his Son," His image lies in these two, suffering and
holiness, whereof lowliness is a chief part.

3. Nevertheless, they are certainly very rare in the
world. Agur observes, that there is another gene-
ration, (Prov. xxx. 13. " Their eyes are lofty, and
their eye-lids lifted up,") quite opposite to them, and
this makes the greatest company by far. The low
and afflicted lot is not so very rare, but the lowly

SOME MORE LOWLY THAN OTHERS. 87

disposition of spirit is rarely yoked with it. Many
a high spirit keeps up in spite of lowering circum-
stances.

4. They can be no more in number than the truly
godly ; for nothing less than the power of divine
grace can bring down men's minds from their native
height, and make their will pliant to the will of God.
2 Cor. X. 4, 5. Men may put on a face of submis-
sion to a low and a crossed lot, because they cannot
help it, and they see it is in vain to strive : but to
bring the spirit truly to it, must be the effect of
humbling grace.

5. Though all the godly are of that generation,
yet there are some of them to whom that character
more especially belongs. The way to heaven lies
through tribulation to all, Acts xiv. 22; and all
Christ's followers are reconciled to it notwithstand-
ing, Luke xvi. 26 ; yet there are some of them more
remarkably disciplined than others, whose spirit is
hereby humbled and brought down to their lot,
Psal. cxxxi. 2. " Surely I have behaved and quieted
myself as a child that is weaned of his mother ; my
soul is even as a weaned child." Phil. iv. 11, 12,
*' For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,
therewith to be content. I know both how to be
abased, and I know how to abound : every where,
and in all things I am instructed, both to be full and
to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."

6. A lowly disposition of soul, and habitual aim
and bent of the heart that way, has a very favoura-
ble construction put upon it in heaven. Should we
look for a generation perfectly purged of pride and
risings of heart against their adverse lot at any time,
we should find none in this world ; but those who
are sincerely aiming and endeavouring to reach it,
and keep the way of contented submission, though

88 CHARACTER OF THE LOWLY.

sometimes blown aside, and returning to it again, God
accounts to be that lowly generation. 2 Cor. vii. 10,
11. James v. 11.

Secondly. We shall enter into particulars. There
are three things which together make up their cha-
racter.

1st. Affliction in their lot. That lowly genera-
tion, preferred to the proud and prosperous, is a
generation of afflicted ones, whom God keeps under
the discipline of the covenant. We may take it up
in these two :

1. There is a yoke of affliction of one kind or
other oftentimes upon them. Psal. Ixxiii. 14. God
is frequently visiting them as a master doth his
scholars, and a physician his patients ; whereas others
are in a sort overlooked by him. Rev. iii. 19. They
are accustomed to the yoke, and that from the time
they enter into God's family. Psal. cxxix. 1 — 3.
God sees it good for them. Lam. iii. 27, 28.

2. There is a particular yoke of affliction which
God has chosen for them, that hangs about them,
and is sehlom, if ever, taken off them. Luke ix. 23.
That is their special trial, the crook in their lot, the
yoke, which lies on them for their constant exercise.
Their other trials may be exchanged, but that is a
weight that still hangs about them, bowing them
down.

2dly. Lowliness in their disposition and tenour of
spirit. They are a generation of lowly humble ones,
whose spirits God has, by his grace, brought down
from their natural height. And thus,

1. They think soberly and meanly of themselves ;
what they are, 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10 ; what they can do;
2 Cor. iii. 5; what they are worth. Gen. xxxii. 10,
and what they deserve. I^am. iii. 22. Viewing them-
selves in the glass of the divine law and perfection,

CHARACTER OF THE LOWLY. 89

they see themselves as a mass of imperfection and sin-
fulness. Job. 5, 6.

2. They think highly and honourably of God.
Psal. cxlv. 3. They are taught by the Spirit what
God is ; and so entertain elevated thoughts of him.
They consider him as the Sovereign of the world; his
perfections as infinite ; his work as perfect. They
look on him as the fountain of happiness, as a God
in Christ, doing all things well ; trusting his wis-
dom, goodness, and love, even where they cannot see.
Heb. xi. 8.

3. They think favourably of others, as far as in
justice, they may. Phil. ii. 3. Though they cannot
hinder themselves from seeing their glaring faults,
yet tJj^ey are ready withal to acknowledge their ex-
cellencies, and esteem them so far. And, because
they see more into their own mercies and advan-
tages for holiness, and misimproving thereof, than
they can see into others, they are apt to look on
others as better than themselves, circumstances
compared.

4. They are sunk down into a state of subordina-
tion to God and his will. Psal. cxxxi. 1, 2. Pride
sets a man up against God, lowliness brings him
back to his place, and lays him down at the feet of
his sovereign Lord, saying, Thy will be done on
earth, &c. — They seek no more the command, but
are content that God himself sit at the helm of their
affairs, and manage all for them, Psal. xlvii. 4.

5. They are not bent on high things, but dis-
posed to stoop to low'things. Psal. cxxxi. 1. Low-
liness levels the towering imaginations, which pride
mounts up against heaven ; draws a veil over all
personal worth and excellences before the Lord ;
and yields a man's all to the Lord, to be as stepping-
stones to the throne of his glory. 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26.

90 CHARACTER OF THE LOWLY

6. They are apt to magnify mercies bestowed on
them. Gen. xxxii. 10. Pride of heart overlooks
and vilifies mercies one is possessed of, and fixes the
eye on what is wanting in one's condition, making
one like the flies, which pass over the sound places,
and swarm together on the sore. On the contrary,
lowliness teaches men to recount the mercies they
enjoy in the lowest condition, and to set a mark on
the good things they have possessed, or yet do. Job.
ii. 10.

3dly. A spirit brought down to their lot. Their
lot is a low and afilicted one ; but their spirit is as
low, being, through grace, brought down to it. We
may take it up in these five things :

1. They submit to it as just, Mic. vii. 9. *J|J will
bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have
sinned against him." There are no hardships in
our condition, but we have procured them to our-
selves ; and it is therefore just that we kiss the rod,
and be silent under it, and so lower our spirits to our
lot. If they complain, it is of themselves; their
hearts rise not up against the lord, far less do they
open their mouth against the heavens. They justify
God, and condemn themselves, reverencing his holi-
ness and spodess righteousness in his proceedings
against them.

2. They go quietly under it as tolerable, Lam. iii.
26 — 29. "It is good that a man should both hope
and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It
is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, because he
hath borne it upon him ; he putteth his mouth in the
dust, if so be there may be hope." While the un-
subdued spirit rages under the yoke as a bullock
unaccustomed to it, the spirit brought to the lot,
goes softly under it. They see it is of the Lord's

CHARACTER OF THE LOWLY. 91

mercies that it is not worse ; they take up the naked
cross, as God lays it down, without those over-
weights upon it that turbulent passions add there-
unto ; and so it becomes really more easy than they
thought it could have been, like a burden fitted on
the back.

3. They are satisfied in it, as drawing their com-
fort from another quarter than their outward condi-
tion, even as the house stands fast, when the prop is
taken away that it did not lean upon. " Although
the fig-tree should not blossom, neither fruit be in
the vine, — yet I will rejoice in the Lord." Hab. iii.
17, 18. Thus did David in the day of his distress,
" He encouraged himself in the Lord his God."
1 Sam. XXX. 6. It is an argument of a spirit not
brought down to the lot, when men are damped and
sunk under the hardships of it, as if their condition
in the world were the point whereon their happiness
turned. It is want of mortification that makes men's
comforts to wax and wane, ebb and flow, accord-
ing to the various appearances of their lot in the
world.

4. 'jfhey have a complacency in it, as that which is
fit antl good for them. Isa. xxxix. 8. 2 Cor. xii. 10.
Men have a sort of complacency in the working of
physic, though it gripes them sore ; they rationally
think with themselves that it is good and best for
them : so these lowly souls consider their afflicted
lot as a spiritual medicine, necessary, fit, and good
for them ; yea, best for them for the time, since it
is ministered by their heavenly Father; and so
they reach a holy complacency in their low afflicted
lot.

The lowly spirit extracts this sweet out of the
bitterness in his lot, considering how the Lord, by
means of that afflicting lot, stops the provision for
10

92 CHARACTFR OF THE PROUD.

unruly lusts, tliat they may be starved: how he cuts
off the by-channels, that the whole stream of the
soul's love may run towards himself; how he pulls
off, and holds ofi^ the man's burden and clog of
earthly comforts, that he may run the more expedi-
tiously in the way to heaven.

5. They rest in it, as what they desire not to come
out of, till the God that brought them into it, see it
meet to bring them out with his good will. Isa.
xxviii. 16. Though an unsubdued spirit's time for
deliverance is always ready, a humble soul will be
afraid of being taken out of its afflicted lot too soon.
It will not be for moving for a change, till the heaven's
moving bring it about; so this hinders not prayer,
and the use of appointed means, with dependence on
the Lord; but requires faith, hope, patience, and
resignation. 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26.

II. We shall consider the generation of the proud
getting their will, and carrying all to their mind.
And in their character also are three things.

First, There are crosses in their lot. They also
have their trials allotted them by overruling pro-
vidence, and let them be in what circumstances they
will in the world, they cannot miss them altogether.
For consider,

1. The confusion and vanity brought into the crea-
tion by man's sin, have made it impossible to get
through the world, but men must meet with what
will ruffle them. Etcles. i. 14. Sin has turned the
world from a paradise into a thicket, there is no
getting through without being scratched. As midges
in the summer will fly about those walking abroad
in a goodly attire, as well as about those in sordid
apparel ; so will crosses in the world meet with the
high as well as the low.

2. The pride of their heart exposes them partieu-

CHARACTER OF THE PROUD. 93

larly to crosses. A proud heart will make a cross to
itself, where a lowly soul would find none. Eslh. v.
13. It will make a real cross ten times the weight
it would be to the humble. The generation of the
proud are like nettles and thorn hedges, upon which
things flying about do fix, while they pass over low
and plain things; so none are more exposed to
crosses than they, though none so unfit to bear them ;
as appears from,

Secondly, Reigning pride in their spirit. Their
spirits were never subdued by a work of thorough
humiliation, they remain at the height in which the
corruption of nature placed them: hence they can
by no means bear the yoke God lays on them. The
neck is swollen with the ill humours of pride and
passion; hence, when the yoke once begins to touch
it, they cannot have any more ease. We may view
the case of the proud generation here in three things.

1. They have an over-value for themselves; and
so will not stoop to the yoke; it is below them.
What a swelling vanity is in that, Exod. v. 2. " Who
is the Lord that I should obey his voice?" Hence
a work of humiliation is necessary to make one take
on the yoke, whether of Christ's precepts or pro-
vidence. The first error is in the understanding;
whence Solomon ordinarily calls a wicked man a
fool; accordingly the first stroke in conversion is
there too, by conviction to humble. Men are bigger
in their own conceit, than they are indeed; therefore
God, suiting things to what we are really, cannot
please us.

2. They have an unmortified self-will, arising
from that over-value for themselves, and they will
not stoop. Exod. v. 2. The question betwixt Heaven
and us is, whether God's will or our own must pre-
vail? Our will is corrupt, God's will is holy; they

94 CHARACTER OF THE PROUD.

cannot agree in one. God says in his providence,
our will must yield to his; but that it will not do,
till the iron sinew in it be broken. Rom. viii. 7.
Isa. xlviii. 4.

3. They have a crowd of unsubdued passions
taking part with self-will; and they say, He shall
not stoop, Rom. vii. 8, 9; and so the war begins,
and there is a field of battle within and without the
man. James iv. 1.

A holy God crosses the self-will of proud crea-
tures by his providence, overruling and disposing of
things contrary to their inclination; sometimes by
his own immediate hand, as in the case of Cain.
Gen. iv. 4, 5; sometimes by the hand of men carry-
ing things against their mind, as in the case of Ahab,
to whom Naboth refused his vineyard. 1 Kings xxi. 4.

The proud heart and will, unable to submit to the
cross, or to bear to be controlled, rises up against
it, and fights for the mastery, with its whole force of
unmortified passions. The design is to remove the
cross, even the crook, and bring the thing to their
own mind: this is the cause of this unholy war, in
which,

(1.) There is one black band of hellish passions
that marches upwards, and makes an attack on hea-
ven itself, namely, discontent, impatience, murmur-
ing, frettings, and the hke. " The foolishness of
man pervertelh his way; and his heart fretteth
against the Lord." Prov. xix. 3. These fire the
breast, fall the countenance. Gen. iv. 6, let off some-
times a volley of indecent and passionate complaints,
Jude, ver. 16, and sometimes of blasphemies, 2 Kings
vi. 33.

(2.) There is another that marches forward, and
makes an attack on the instrument or instruments of
the cross, namely, anger, wrath, fury, revenge, bitter-

THE pftoUD IN PROSPERITY. 95

ness, (fee. Prov. xxvii. 4. These carry the man out of
the possession of himself, Luke xxi. 19. fill the heart
with a boiling heat, Psa. xxxix. 3. the mouth with
clamour and evil-speaking, Eph. iv. 31. and threat-
enings are breathed out; Acts ix. 1. and sometimes
set the hands on work, a most heavy event, as in the
case of Ahab against Naboth.

Thus the proud carry on the war, but oftentimes
they lose the day, and the cross remains immovable
for all they can do; yea, and sometimes they them-
selves fall in the quarrel, it ends in their ruin. Exod.
XV. 9, 10. But that is not the case in the text. For
we are to consider them as,

Thirdly, Getting their will, and carrying all to
their mind. This speaks,

1. Holy providence yielding to the man's unmor-
tified self-will, and letting it go according to his
mind. Gen. vi. 3. God sees it meet to let the
struggle with him fall, for it prevails not to his
good. Isa. i. 5. So the reins are laid on the proud
man's neck, and he has what he would be at;
" Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone." Hos.
iv. 17.

2. The lust remaining in its strength and vigour,
Psa. Ixxviii. 30. " They were not estranged from
their lust." God, in the method of his covenant
sometimes gives his people their will, and sets them
where they would be; but then, in that case, the
lust for the thing is mortified, and they are as
weaned children. Psal. x. 17. But here the lust
remains rampant: the proud seek meat for it, and
get it.

3. The cross removed, the yoke taken off. Psal.
Ixxviii. 29. They could not think of bringing their
mind to their lot; but they thwarted with it, wrestled
and fought against it, till it is brought up to their

10*

96 DOCTRINE OF THE TEXT CONFIRMED.

mind: so the day is their own, the victory is on their
side.

4. The man is pleased in his having carried his
point, even as one is when he is dividing the spoil.
1 Kings xxi. 18, 19.

Thus the case of the afflicted lowly generation, and
the proud generation prospering, is stated. Now,

III. I am to confirm the doctrine, or the decision
of the text. That the case of the former is better than
that of the latter. It is better to be in a low afflicted
condition, with the spirit humble and brought down
to the lot, than to be of a proud and high spirit,
getting the lot brought up to it, and matters go ac-
cording to one's mind. This will appear from the
following considerations.

1. Humility is so far preferable to pride, that in
no circumstances whatsoever its preferableness can
fail. Let all the afflictions in the world attend the
humble spirit, and all the prosperity in the world
attend pride, humility will still have the better: as
gold in a dunghill is more excellent than so much
lead in a cabinet, For,

(1.) Humility is a part of the image of God. Pride
is the master-piece of the image of the devil. Let
us view him who was the express image of the Fa-
ther's person, and we shall behold him meek and
lowly in heart. Matt. xi. 29. None more afflicted,
yet his spirit perfectly brought down to his lot, Isa.
liii. 7. *' He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth." That is a shining
part of the divine image: for though God cannot be
low in respect of his state and condition, yet he is of
infinite condescension, Isa. Ivii. 15. None bears as
he, Rom. ii. 4, nor suffers patiently so much contra-
diction to his will; which is proposed to us for our
encouragement in affliction, as it shone in Christ.

DOCTRINE OF THE TEXT CONFIRMED. 97

" For consider him that endured such contradiction
of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and
faint in your minds." Heb. xii. 8.

Pride, on the other hand, is the very image of the
devil. 1 Tim. iii. 6. Shall we value ourselves on
the height of our spirits? Satan will vie with the
highest of us in that point; for though he is the
most miserable, yet he is the proudest in the whole
creation. There is the greatest distance between
his spirit and his lot; the former is as high as the
throne of God, the latter as low as hell: and as it is
impossible that ever his lot should be brought up to
his spirit; so his spirit will never come down to his
lot: and therefore he will be eternally in a state of
war with his lot. Hence, even at this time, he has
no rest, but goes about, seeks rest indeed, but finds
none.

Now, is it not better to be like God than like the
devil; like him who is the fountain of all good, than
him who is the spring and sink of all evil? Can any
thing possibly cast the balance here, and turn the
preference to the other side? " Then better it is to
be of an humble spirit with the lowly," &c.

(2.) Humility and lowliness of spirit qualify us
for friendly communion and intercourse with God in
Christ. Pride makes God our enemy. 1 Pet. v. 5.
Our happiness here and hereafter depends on our
friendly intercourse with Heaven. If we have not
that, nothing can make up our loss. Psal. xxx. 5.
If we have that, nothing can make us miserable,
Rom. viii. 31. " If God be for us, who can be
against us?" Now, who are they whom God is for,
but the humble and lowly? they who being in Christ
are so made like him. He blesses them, and de-
clares them the heirs of the crown of glory : " Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of

98 DOCTRINE OF THE TEXT CONFIRMED.

heaven." Matt. v. 3. He will look to them, be their
condition ever so low, while he overlooks others.
Isa. Ixvi. 2. He will have respect to them, how-
ever they be despised: " Though the Lord be high,
yet hath he respect to the lowly; but the proud he
knoweth afar off." Psal. cxxxviii. 6. He will dwell
with them, however poorly they dwell. Isa. Ivii. 15.
He will certainly exalt them in due time, however
low they lie now. Isa. xl. 4.

Whom is he against? Whom does he resist?
The proud. Them he curselh, Jer. xvii. 5. and that
curse will dry up their arm at length. The proud
man is God's rival; he makes himself his own god,
and would have those about him make him theirs
too; he rages, he blusters, if they will not fall down
before him. But God will bring him down. Isa.
xl. 4. Psal. xviii. 27.

Now, is it not better to be qualified for commu-
nion with God, than to have him engaged against us,
at any rate ?

(3.) Humility is a duty pleasing to God, pride a
sin pleasing to the devil. Isa. Ivii. 15; 1 Tim. iii. 6.
God requires us to be humble, especially under
affliction, " and be clothed with humihty." I Pet.
v. 5, 6. That is our becoming garment. The hum-
ble publican was accepted, the proud pharisee re-
jected. We may say of the generation of the proud,
as 1 Thess. ii. 16. " Wrath is come upon them
to the uttermost." They please neither God nor
men, but only themselves and satan, whom they
resemble in it. Now duty is better than sin at
any rate.

2. They whose spirits are brought down to
their afflicted lot, have much quiet and repose of
mind, while the proud, that must have their lot
brought up to their mind, have much disquiet,

DOCTRINE OF THE TEXT CONFIRMED. 99

trouble, and vexation. Consider here, that, on the
one hand,

Quiet of mind, and ease within, is a great bless-
ing, upon which the comfort of life depends. No-
thing without this can make one's life happy. Dan.
V. 6. And where this is maintained, nothing can
make it miserable. John xvi. 33. This being se-
cured in God, there is a defiance bid to all the
trouj||les of the world. Psal. xlvi. 2, 3, like the child
sailing in the midst of the rolling waves.

The spirit brought down to the lot makes and
maintains this inward tranquillity. Our whole trou-
ble in our lot in the world rises from the disagree-
ment of our mind therewith ; let the mind be brought
to the lot, and the whole tumult is instantly hushed;
let it be kept in that disposition, and the man shall
stand at ease, in his affliction, like a rock unmoved
with waters beating on it, Col. iii. 15. "And let
the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which
also ye are called."

On the other hand, consider,

What disquiet of mind the proud suffer ere they
can get their lot brought up to their mind. " They
have taught their tongues to speak lies, and they
weary themselves to commit iniquity." Jer. ix. 5.
James iv. 2. " Ye lust, and have not; ye kill, and
desire to have, and cannot obtain ; ye fight and war,
yet ye have not." What arrows of grief go through
their heart! what torture of anxiety, fretting, and
vexation, must they endure! what contrary passions
fight within them ! and what sallies of passions do
they make! what uneasiness vvas Haman in, before
he could carry the point of revenge against Mordecai,
obtaining the king's decree!

When the thing is got to their mind, it will not
quit the cost. The enjoyment thereof brings not so

100 DOCTRINE OF THE TEXT CONFIRMED.

much satisfaction and pleasure, as the want of it
gave pain. This was evident in Rachel's case, as
to the having of children; and in that case, Psal,
Ixxviii. 30, 31. There is a dead fly in the ointment
that mars the savour they expected to find in it.
Fruit plucked off the tree of providence, ere it is
ripe, will readily set the teeth on edge. It proves
like the manna kept over night. Exod. xvi. 20.

They have but an unsure hold of it; it dotl^not
last with them. Either it is taken from them soon,
and they are just where they were again: " I gave
thee a king in my anger, and took him away in my
wrath." Hos. xiii. 11. having a root of pride, it
quickly withers away; or else they are taken from
it, that they have no access to enjoy it. So Haman
obtained the decree ; but ere the day of the execution
came, he was gone.

3. They that get their spirit brought down to their
afflicted lot, gain a point far more valuable than
they who in their pride force up their lot to their
mind. Prov. xvi. 32. " He that is slow in anger, is
better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit,
than he that taketh a city." This will appear, if
you consider,

(1.) The latter makes but a better condition in out-
ward things, the former makes a better man. The life
is more than meat. — The man himself is more valua-
ble than all external conveniences that attend him.
What therefore betters the man is preferable to what
betters only his condition. Who doubts but where
two are sick, and the one gets himself transported
from a coarse bed to a fine one, the sickness still
remaining; the other lies still in the coarse bed, but
the sickness is removed ; that the case of the latter is
preferable ? So here, &c.

(2.) The subduing of our own passions is more

IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUBJECT. 101

excellent than to have the whole world subdued to our
will: for then we are masters of ourselves, according
to that. Luke xxi. 19. Whereas, in the other case,
we are still slaves to the worst of masters. Rom. vi.
16. In the one case we are safe, blow what storm
will; in the other we lie exposed to thousands of
dangers, Prov. xxv. 28. " He that hath no rule over
his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down,
and without walls."

(3.) When both shall come to be judged, it will
appear the one has multiplied the tale of their good
works, in bringing their spirit to their lot; the other,
the tale of their ill works, in bringing their lot to
their spirit. We have to do with an omniscient
God, in whose eyes every internal action is a work,
good or bad, to be reckoned for. Rom. ii. 16.

An afflicted lot is painful, but, where it is well
managed, it is very fruitful ; it exercises the graces
of the Spirit in a Christian, which otherwise would
lie dormant. But there is never an act of resignation
to the will of God under the cross, nor an act of
trusting in him for his help, but they will be recorded
in heaven's register as good works. Mai. iii. 16.
And these are occasioned by affliction.

On the other hand, there is never a rising of the
proud heart against the lot, nor a faithless attempt to
bring it to our mind, whether it succeed or not, but
it passes for an ill work before God. How then will
the tale of such be multiplied by the war in which
the spoil is divided !

Use 1. Of information. Hence we may learn,

1. It is not always best for folks to get their will.
Many there are who cannot be pleased with God's
will about them, and they get their own will with a
vengeance, Psal. Ixxxi. 11, 12. " Israel would none
of me, so I gave them up to their own hearts' lust;

102 IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUBJECT.

and thev walked in their own counsels." It may be
most pleasant and grateful for the time, but it is not
the safest. Let not the people pride themselves in
their carrying things that way then by a strong
hand; let them not triumph in such victory: the
after-reckoning will open their eyes.

2. The afflicted crossed party, whose lot is kept
low, is so far from being a loser, that he is a gainer
thereby, if his spirit is brought down to it. And if
he will see things in the light of God's unerring
word, he is in better case than if he had got all car-
ried to his mind. In the one way the vessels of
wrath are fitted for destruction. Psal. Ixxviii. 29 —
31. In the other, the vessels of mercy are fitted for
glory, and so God disciplines his own. Lam. iii. 27.

3. It is better to yield to Providence than to fight
it out, though we should win. Yielding to the sove-
reign disposal is both our becoming duty and our
greatest interest. Taking that way, we act most
honourably ; for what honour can there be in the
creature's disputing his ground with his Creator?
and we act most wisely ; for whatever may be the
success of some battles in that case, we may be sure
victory will be on Heaven's side in the war, 1 Sam.
ii. 9. " For, by strength shall no man prevail."

4. It is of so much greater concern for us to get
our spirits brought down than our outward condition
raised. But who believes this? All men strive to
raise their outward condition; most men never mind
the bringing down of their spirits, and few there are
who apply themselves to it. And what is that but
to be concerned to minister drink to the thirsty sick,
but never to mind to seek a cure for them, whereby
their thirst may be carried oflf.

Use 2. Of exhortation. As you meet with crosses
in your lot in the world, let your desire be rather to

IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUBJECT. 103

have your spirit humbled and brought down, than
to get the cross removed. I mean not but that you
may use all lawful means for the removal of your
cross, in dependence on God; but only that you be
more concerned to get your spirit to bow and ply,
than to get the crook in your lot evened.

Motive 1. It is far more needful for us to have our
spirits humbled under the cross, than to have the
cross removed. The removal of the cross is needful
only for the ease of the flesh, the humbling for the
profit of our souls, to purify them, and bring them
into a state of health and cure.

2. The humbling of the spirit will have a mighty
good effect on a crossed lot, but the removal of the
cross will have none on the unhumbled spirit. The
humbling will lighten the cross mightily for the time,
Matt. xi. 30, and in due time carry it cleanly off, 1
Pet. V. 6. But the removal of the cross is not a
means to humble the unhumbled ; though it may pre-
vent irritation, yet the disease still remains.

3. Think with yourselves how dangerous and
hopeless a case it is to have the cross removed ere
the spirit is humbled ; that is, to have the means of
cure pulled away and blocked up from us, while the
power of the disease is yet unbroken ; to be taken
off trials ere we have given any good proof of our-
selves, and so to be given over of our physician as
hopeless, Isa. i. 5. Hos. iv. 17.

Use 3. For direction. Believing the gospel, take
God for your God in Christ towards your eternal
salvation, and then dwell much on the thoughts of
God's greatness and holiness, and of your own sin-
fulness ; so will you be humbled under the mighty
hand of God ; and, in due time, he will lift you up.
11

104 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

1 Peter v. 6.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand
of Gody that he may exalt you in due time.

In the preceding part of this chapter, the apostle
presents the duties of the church officers towards
the people ; and then the duty of the people, both
towards their officers, and among themselves, which
he winds up in one word, submission. For which
causes he recommends humility as the great means
to bring all to their respective duties. This is en-
forced with an argument taken from the different
treatment the Lord gives to the proud and the hum-
ble ; his opposing himself to the one, and showing
favour to the other. Our text is an exhortation drawn
from that consideration ; and in it we have,

1st. The duty we are to study : " Humble your-
selves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that
he may exalt you in due time." And therein we
may notice,

(1.) The state of those, to whom it is proposed,
those under the mighty hand of God, whom his
hand has humbled, or brought low in respect of
their circumstances in the world. And by these,
I think, are meant, not only such as are under par-
ticular signal afflictions, which is the lot of some,
but also those who, by the providence of God, are,
in any kind of way lowered, which is the lot of all.
All being in a state of submission or dependence on
others, God has made this life a state of trial; and
for that cause he has, by his mighty hand, subjected
,men one to another, as wives, children, servants, to
husbands, parents, mastej:* ; and these again to their
superiors ; among whom, again, even the highest

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 105

depend on those under them, as magistrates and mi-
nisters on the people, even the supreme magistrate.
This state of the world God has made for the trial
of men in their several stations, and dependence on
others ; and therefore, when the time of trial is over,
it also comes to an end. " Then cometh the end —
when he shall have put down all rule and all authority,
and power," 1 Cor. xv. 24, 25. Meantime, while it
lasts, it makes humility necessary to all, to prompt
them to the duty they owe their superiors, to whom
God's mighty hand has subjected them.

(2.) The duty itself, namely. Humiliation of our spi-
rits under the humbling circumstances the Lord has
placed us in. " Humble yourselves therefore under
the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in
due time." Whether we are under particular afflic-
tions, which have cast us down from the height we
-N^ere sometime in, or whether we are only inferiors
in one or more relations ; or whether, which is most
common, both these are in our case, we must therein
eye the mighty hand of God, as that which placed us
there, and is over us, there to hold us down in it ;
and so, with an awful regard thereto, bow down un-
der it, in the temper and disposition of our spirits,
suiting our spirits to our lot, and careful of perform-
ing the duty of our low sphere.

(3.) A particular spring of this duty; therefore we
must consider, that those who cannot quietly keep
the place assigned them of God in their afflictions or
relations, but still press upward against the mighty
hand that is over them, that mighty hand resists
them, throwing them down, and often farther down
than before ; whereas, it treats them with grace and
favour, that compose themselves under it, to a quiet
discharge of their duty in their situation ; so, eyeing
this, we must set ourselves to humble ourselves.

106 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

2dly. The infallible issue of that course ; that he
may exalt you in due time. The particle that^ is
not always to be understood finally, as denoting the
end or design the agent proposes to himself, but
sometimes eventually only, as denoting the event or
issue of the action, John ix. 2, 3.; 1 John ii. 19.
So here, the meaning is not, Humble yourselves, on
design he may exalt you ; but, and it shall issue in
his exalting you. Compare James iv. 10.

(1.) Here is a happy event, of humiliation of
spirit secured, and that is exaltation or lifting up on
high, by the power of God, that he may exalt you.
Exalting will as surely follow on humiliation of
spirit, suitable to the low lot, as the morning follows
the night, or the sun riseth after the dawning. And
these words ar-e fitted to obviate the objections that
the world and our corrupt hearts are apt to make
against bringing down the spirit to the low lot. ^

Object. 1. If we let our spirit fall, we shall lie al-
ways at folli.s' feet, and they will trample on us.

Ans. No ; pride of spirit unsubdued, will bring
men to lie at the feet of others for ever, Isa. Ixvi. 24.
But humiliation of spirit will bring them undoubtedly
out from under their feet, Mai. iv. 2, 3. They that
humble themselves now will be exalted for ever;
they will be brought out of their low situation and
circumstances. Cast ye yourselves even down with
your low lot, and assure yourselves ye shall not lie
there.

Object. 2. If we do not raise ourselves, none will
raise us ; and therefore we must see to ourselves, to
do ourselves right.

Ans. That is wrong. Humble ye yourselves in
respect of your spirits, and God will raise you up in
respect of your lot, or low condition ; and they that
have God engaged for raising them, have no reason

DESIGN OF GOD IN AFFLICTING. 107

to say they have none to do it for them. Bringing
down of the spirit is our duty, raising us up is God's
work ; let us not forfeit the privilege of God's rais-
ing us up, by arrogating that work to ourselves,
taking it out of his hand.

Object. 3. But sure we shall never rise high, if
we let our spirits fall.

Ans. That is wrong too : God will not only raise
the humble ones, but he will lift them up on high ;
for so the word signifies. They shall be as high at
length as ever they were low, were they ever so
low ; nay, the exaltation will bear proportion to the
humiliation.

(2.) Here is the date of that happy event when
it will fall out. In due time, or in the season, the
proper season for it. Gal. vi. 9. "In due season we
shall reap, if we faint not." We are apt to weary in
humbling trying circumstances, and would instantly
have up our head, John vii. 6. But Solomon ob-
serves, There is a time for every thing when it does
best, and the wise will wait for it, Eccl. iii. 1 — 8.
There is a time too for exalting them that humble
themselves ; God has set it, and it is the due time
for the purpose, the time when it does best, even as
sowing in the spring, and reaping in the harvest.
When that time comes, your exalting shall no longer
be put off, and it would come too soon should it
come before that time.

DocT. I. The bent of one's heart, in humbling cir-
cumstances, should lie towards a suitable humbling
of the spirit, asunder God^s mighty hand placing
us in them. We shall consider,

I, What things are supposed in this. It supposes
that

11*

106 DESIGN OF GOD IN AFFLICTING.

1. God brings men into humbling circumstances,
Ezek. xvii. 24. "And all the trees of the field shall
know, that I the Lord have brought down the high
tree." There is a root of pride in the hearts of all
men on earth, that must be mortified ere they can
be meet for heaven : and therefore no man can
miss, in this time of trial, some things that will give
a proof whether he can stoop or no. And God
brings them into humbling circumstances for that
very end, Deut. viii. 2. " The Lord thy God led
thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble
thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine
heart."

2. These circumstances prove pressing as a weight
on the heart, tending to bear it down, Psal. cvii. 12.
" Therefore he brought down their hearts with la-
bour." They strike at the grain of the heart, and
cross the natural inclination : whence a trial arises,
whether, when God lays on his mighty hand, the
man can yield under it or not; and consequently,
whether he is meet for heaven or not.

3. The heart is naturally apt to rise up against
these humbling circumstances, and consequently
against the mighty hand that brings and keeps them
on. The man naturally bends his force to get off
the weight, that he may get up his head, seeking
more to please himself than to please his God, Job
XXXV. 9, 10. " They cry out by reason of the arm
of the mighty : but none saith, Where is God my
Maker?" This is the first gate the heart runs to in
humbling circumstances ; and in this way the unsub-
dued spirit holds on.

4. But what God requires is, rather to labour to
bring down the heart, than to get up the head, James
iv. 10. Here lies the proof of one's meetness for
lieaven; and then is one in the way heaven-ward,

AFFLICTIONS DIVERSIFIED. 109

when he is more concerned to get down his heart
than to get up his head, to go calmly under his bur-
den than to get it off, to bow under the mighty hand,
than to put it off him.

5. There must be a noticing of the hand of God
in humbling circumstances; "Hear ye the rod, and
him who hath appointed it." Mic. vi. 9. There is
an abjectness of spirit, whereby some give up them-
selves to the will of others in the harshest treatment,
merely to please them, without regard to the authority
and command of God. This is real meanness of
spirit, whereby one lies quietly to be trampled on by
a fellow worm, from its imaginary weight ; and none
so readily fall into it as the proud, at some times, to
serve their own turn. These are men-pleasers, Eph.
vi. 6, with Gal. i. 10.

II. What are those humbling circumstances the
mighty hand of God brings men into. Supposing
here what was before taught concerning the crook
in the lot being of God's making, these are circum-
stances,

1. Of imperfection. God has placed all men in
such circumstances under a variety of wants and im-
perfections, Phil. iii. 12. We can look no where,
where we are not beset with them. There is a heap
of natural and moral imperfections about us : our bo-
dies and our souls, in all their faculties, are in a state
of imperfection. The pride of all glory is stained ;
and it is a shame for us not to be humbled under such
wants as attend us ; it is like a beggar strutting in his
rags.

2. Of inferiority in relations, whereby men are set
in the lower place in relations and society, and made
to depend on others, 1 Cor. vii. 24. God has, for a
trial of men's submission to himself, subjected them
to others whom he has set over them, to discover

110 AFFLICTIONS DIVERSIFIED.

what regard they will pay to his authority and com-
mands at second hand. Dominion or superiority is
a part of the divine image shining in them, 1 Cor.
xi. 7. And therefore reverence of them, consisting
in an awful regard to that ray of tiie divine image
shining in them, is necessarily required, Eph. v. 23;
Heb. xii. 9. The same holds in all other relations
and superiorities, namely, that they are so far in the
place of God to their relatives, Psal. Ixxxii. 6, and
though the parties be worthless in themselves, that
looses not from the debt due to them. Acts xxiii. 4,
5. Rom. xiii. 7. The reason is, because it is not
their qualities, but their character, which is the ground
of that debt of reverence and subjection; and the trial
God takes of us in that matter turns not on the point
of the former, but of the latter.

Now, God having placed us in these circumstances
of inferiority, all refractoriness, in all things not con-
trary to the command of God, is a rising up against
his mighty hand, Rom. xiii. 2, because it is medi-
ately upon us for that effect, though it is a man's
hand that is immediately on us.

3. Of contradiction, tending directly to balk us
of our will. This was a part of our Lord's state of
humiliation, and the apostle supposes it will be apart
of ours too, Heb. xii. 3. There is a perfect harmony
in heaven, no one to contradict another there: for
they are in their state of retribution and exaltation :
but we are here in our state of trial and humiliation,
and therefore cannot miss contradiction, be we placed
ever so high.

Whether these contradictions be just or unjust,
God tries men with them to humble them, to break
them off from addictedness to their own will, and to
teach them resignation and self-denial. They are in
their own nature humbling, and much the same to

AFFLICTIONS DIVERSIFIED. Ill

US, as the breaking of a horse or a bullock is to them.
And I believe there are many cases in which there
can be no accounting for them, but by recurring to
this use God has for them.

4. Of affliction, Prov. xvi. 19. Prosperity puffs
up sinners with pride; for it is very hard to keep a
low spirit with a high and prosperous lot. But God,
by affliction, calls men down from their heights
to sit in the dust, plucks away their gay feathers
wherein they prided themselves, rubs the paint and
varnish from off the creature, whereby it appears
more in its native deformity. There are various
kinds of affliction, some more, some less humbhng,
but all of them are humbling.

Wherefore, not to lower the spirit under the afflic-
tion, is to attempt to rise up when God is casting
and holding us down ; and cannot fail, if continued
in, to provoke the Lord to break us in pieces,
Ezek. xxiv. 13. For the afflicting hand of God is
mighty.

5. Of sin, as the punishment of sin. We may-
allude to that. Job XXX. 19. All the sin in the world
is a punishment of Adam's first sin. Man threw
himself into the mire at first, and now he is justly
left weltering in it. Men wilfully make one false
step, and for that cause they are justly left to make
another worse ; and sin hangs about all, even the
best. And this is over-ruled of God for our humi-
liation, that we may be ashamed, and never open our
mouth any more. Wherefore, not to be humbled
under our sinfulness, is to rise up against the mighty
hand of God, and to justify all our sinful departings
from him, as lost to all sense of duty, and void of
shame.

III. What it is in humbling circumstances, to
humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.

112 WHEREIN HUMILIATION CONSISTS.

This is the great thing to be aimed at in our hum-
bling circumstances. And we may take it up in these
eight things.

1. Noticing God's mighty hand, as employed in
bringing about every thing that concerns us, either
in the way of efficacy or permission, ♦' And he said.
It is the Lord ; let him do what seemeth him good.'*
1 Sam. iii. 18. " And the king said, The Lord
hath said unto him. Curse David: who shall then
€ay, wherefore hast thou done so ?" 2 Sam. xvi. 10.
He is the fountain of all perfection, but we must
trace our imperfections to his sovereign will. It is
he that has posted every one in their relations by his
providence; without him we could not meet with
such contradictions ; for, " The king's heart is in
the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water : he
turneth it whithersoever he pleaseth." Prov. xxi. 1.
He sends afflictions, and justly punishes one sin with
another. Isa. vi. 10.

2. A sense of our own worthlessness and nothing-
ness before him. Psal. cxliv. 3. Looking to the in-
finite Majesty of the mighty hand dealing with us,
we should say, with Abraham, Gen. xviii. 27.
" Behold, I am but dust and ashes ;" and say amen
to the cry. Isa. xl. 6. All flesh is grass, &:c. The
keeping up of thoughts of our own excellency, under
the pressure of God's mighty hand, is the very thing
that swells the heart in pride, causing it to rise up
against it. *And it is the letting of all such thoughts
of ourselves fall before the eyes of his glory, that is
the humbling required.

3. A sense of our guilt and filthiness. Rom. iii. 10.
Isa. Ixiv. 6. The mighty hand doth not press us
down, but as sinners ; it is meet then that under it
we see our sinfulness ; our guilt, whereby we shall
appear criminals justly caused to suffer; our filthi-

WHEREIN HUMILIATION CONSISTS. 113

ness, whereupon we may be brought to loath our-
selves ; and then we shall think nothing lays us lower
than we well deserve. It is the overlooking our sin-
fulness that suffers the proud heart to swell.

4. A silent submission under the hand of God.
His sovereignty challengeth this of us, Rom. ix. 20..
" Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against
God ?" And nothing but unsubdued pride of spirit
can allow us to answer again under his sovereign
hand. A view of his sovereignty humbled and awed
the Psalmist into submission, with a profound silence,
Psal. xxxix. 9. " I was dumb, I opened not my
mouth, because thou didst it." — Job. i. 21. "The
Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed
be the name of the Lord." — And xl. 4, 5. " What
shall I answer thee ? I will lay mine hand upon my
mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer;
yea, twice, but I will proceed no farther." And Eli,
1 Sam. iii. 18. " It is the Lord ; let him do what
seemeth him good."

5. A magnifying of his mercies towards us in the
midst of all his proceedings a'gainst us, Psal. cxliv. 3.
Has he laid us low ? If we be duly humbled, we
shall wonder he has laid us no lower. Ezra ix. 13.
For however low the humble are laid, they will see
they are not yet so low as their sins deserve. Lam.
iii. 22.

6. A holy and silent admiration of the ways and
counsels of God, as to us unsearchable. Rom. xi. 33.
Pride of heart thinks nothing too high for the man,
and so arraigns before its tribunal the divine pro-
ceedings, pretends to see through them, censures
freely and condemns ; but humiliation of spirit dis-
poses a man to think awfully and honourably of those
mysteries of Providence he is not able to see through.

114 WHEREIN HUMILIATION CONSISTS.

7. A forgetting and laying aside before the Lord
all our dignity, whereby we excel others, Rev. iv. 10.
Pride feeds itself on the man's real or imaginary
personal excellency and dignity, and, being so inured
to it before others, cannot forget it before God, Luke
xviii. 11. *' God, I thank thee I am not as other
men." But humiliation of spirit makes it all to
vanish before him as doth the shadow before the
shining sun, and it lays the man, in his own eyes,
lower than any. " Surely I am more brutish than any
man, and have not the understanding of a man."
Prov. XXX. 2.

8. A submitting readily to the meanest offices re-
quisite in, or agreeable to our circumstances. Pride
at every turn finds something that is below the man
to condescend or stoop to, measuring by his own
mind and will, not by the circumstances God has
placed him in. But humility measures by the cir-
cumstances one is placed in, and readily falls in with
what they require. Hereof our Saviour gave us an
example to be imitated, Phil. ii. 8. " Being found
in fashion as a man he humbled himself, and became
obedient unto death." John xiii. 14. " If I then, your
Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought
also to wash one another's feet."

Use. Of exhortation. Let the bent of your heart
then, in all your humbling circumstances, be towards
the humbling of your spirit, as under the mighty
hand of God. This lies in two things.

1. Carefully notice all your humbling circum-
stances, and overlook none of them. Observe your
imperfections ; inferiority in relations ; contradictions
you meet with ; your afflictions ; uncertainty of all
things about you ; and your sinfulness. — Look
through them designedly, and consider the steps of

MOTIVES FOR ATTAINING IT, 115

the conduct of Providence toward you in these,
that ye may know yourselves, and may not be stran-
gers at home, blhid to your own real slate and case.

2. Observe what these circumstances require of
you, as suitable to them ; bend your endeavours to-
wards it, to bring your spirits into that temper of hu-
miliation, that, as your lot is really low in all these
respects, so your spirits may be low too, as under the
mighty hand of God. Let this be your great aim
through your whole life, and your exercise every day.

Motive 1. God is certainly at work to humble one
and all of us. However high any are lifted up in
this world. Providence has hung certain badges for
humiliation on them, whether they will notice them
or not, Isa. xl. 6. Now, it is our duty to fall in
with the design of providence, that while God is
humbling us, we may be humbling ourselves, and
that we may not receive humbling dispensations in
vain.

2, The humiliation of our spirit will not take
effect without our own agency therein: while God
is working on us that way, we must work together
with him; for he works on us as rational agents,
who being moved, move themselves, Phil. ii. 12, 13.
God by his providence may force down our lot and
condition without us, but the spirit must come down
voluntarily and of choice, or not at all; therefore,
strike in with humbling providences in humbling
yourselves, as mariners spread out the sails when
the wind begins to blow, that they may go away
before it.

3. If ye do not, ye resist the mighty hand of God,
Acts vii. 51. Ye resist in so far as ye do not yield,
but stand as a rock keeping your ground against
your Maker in humbling providences, Jer. v. 3.
" Thou has stricken them, but they have not grieved ;

12

116 MOTIVES FOR ATTAINING IT.

thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to
receive correction. They have made their faces
harder than a rock ; they have refused to return."
Much more when ye work against him to force up
your condition, which ye may see God means to
hold down. And of this resistance consider,

(1.) The sinfulness ; what an evil thing it is. It
is a direct fighting against God, a shaking off of sub-
jection to our sovereign Lord, and a rising in rebel-
lion against him. Isa. xlv. 9.

(2.) The folly of it. How unequal is the match !
How can the struggle end well ? Job ix. 4. What
else can possibly be the issue of the potsherds of the
earth dashing against the Rock of Ages, but that
they be broken to pieces ? All men must certainly
bow or break under the mighty hand of God. Job
xli. 8.

4. This is the time of humiliation, even the time
of this life. Every thing is beautiful in its season;
and the bringing down of the spirit now is beautiful,
as in the time thereof, even as the plowing and sow-
ing of the ground is in the spring. Consider,

(I.) Humiliation of spirit is in the sight of God of
great price, 1 Pet. iii. 4. As he has a special aver-
sion to pride of heart, he has a special liking of hu-
mility, chap. v. 5. The humbling of sinners and
bringing them down from their heights, wherein the
corruption of their nature has set them, is the great
end of his word, and of his providences.

(2.) It is no easy thing to humble men's spirits ; it
is not a little that will do it ; it is a work that is not
soon done. There is need of a digging deep for a
thorough humiliation in the work of conversion,
Luke vi. 48. Many a stroke must be given at the
root of the tree of the natural pride of the heart ere
it fall; ofttimes it seems to be fallen, and yet, it

117

arises again. And, even when the root stroke is
given in believers, the rod of pride buds again, so
that there is still occasion for new humbling work.

(3.) The whole time of this life is appointed for
humiliation. This was signified by the forty years
the Israelites had in the wilderness, Deut. viii. 2. It
was so to Christ, and therefore it must be so to men,
Heb. xii. 2. And in that time they must either be
formed according to his image, or else appear as
reprobate silver that will not take it on by any means,
Rom. viii. 29. So that whatever lifting up men may
now and then get in this life, the habitual course of
it will still be humbling.

(4.) There is no humbling after this, Rev. xxii.
11. If the pride of the heart be not brought down
in this life, it will never be ; no kindly humiliation
is to be expected in the other life. There the proud
will be broken in pieces, but not softened ; their lot
and condition will be brought to the lowest pass, but
the unhumbleness of their spirits will still remain,
whence they will be in eternal agonies through the
opposition betwixt their spirits and lot, Rev. xvi. 21.

Wherefore, beware lest ye sit your time of humi-
liation: humbled we must be, or we are gone for
ever; and this is the time, the only time of it; there-
fore, make your hay while the sun shines ; strike in
with humbling providences, and fight not against
them while ye have them. Acts xiii. 41. The sea-
son of grace will not last ; if ye sleep in seed time,
ye will beg in harvest.

5. This is the way to turn humbling circumstances
to a good account ; so that instead of being losers ye
would be gainers by them, Psal. cxix. 71. " It is
good for me that T have been afflicted." Would ye
gather grapes of these thorns and thistles, set your-
selves to get your spirits humbled by them.

lis MOTIVES FOR ATTAINING IT.

Humiliation of spirit is a most valuable thing
in itself, Prov. xvi. 32. It calnnot be bought too
dear. Whatever one is made to suffer, if his spirit
is thereby duly brought down, he has what is well
worth bearing all the hardships for, 1 Pet. iii. 4.

Humility of spirit brings many advantages along
with it. It is a fruitful bougii, well loaden, wher-
ever it is. It contributes to one's ease under the
cross. Matt. xi. 30. ; Lam. iii. 27 — 29. It is a
sacrifice particularly acceptable to God, Psal. li. 17.
The eye of God is particularly on such for good,
Isa. Ixvi. 2. " To this man will I look, even to him
that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth
at my word." Yea he dwells with them, Isa. Ivii.
15. And it carries a line of wisdom through one's
whole conduct, Prov. xi. 2. " With the lowly is
wisdom."

6. Consider it is a mighty hand that is at work
with us ; the hand of the mighty God ; let us then
bend our spirits towards a compliance with it, and not
wrestle against it. Consider,

(1.) We must fall under it. Since the design of
it is to bring us down, we cannot stand before it;
for it cannot miscarry in its designs, Isa. xlvi. 10.
" My counsel shall stand." So fall before it we
must, either in the way of duly or judgment, Psal.
xlvi. 5. " Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of
the king's enemies, whereby the people fall under
thee."

(2.) They that are so wise as to fall in humili-
ation under the mighty hand, be they ever so low,
the same hand will raise them up again, James iv. 10.
In a word, be the proud ever so high, God will bring
them down: be the humble ever so low, God will
raise them up.

DIRECTIONS FOR THIS PURPOSE. 119

Directions for reaching this humiliation.

I. General Directions.

Direct. 1. Fix it in your heart to seek some spiri-
tual improvement of the conduct of Providence to-
wards you, Micah vi. 9. Till once your heart get a
set that way, your humiliation is not to be expected,
Hosea xiv. 9. But nothing is more reasonable, if
we would act either like men or Christians, than to
aim at turning what is so grievous to the flesh unto
the profit of the spirit ; that if we are losers on one
hand, we may be gainers on another.

2. Settle the matter of your eternal salvation, in
the first place, by betaking yourself to Christ, and
taking God for your God in him, according to the
gospel-ofl'er, Hos. ii. 19. ; Heb. viii. 10. Let your
humbling circumstances move you to this, and while
the creature dries up, you may go to the Fountain :
for it is impossible to reach due humiliation under
his mighty hand, without faith in him as your God
and friend, Heb. xi. 6 ; 1 John iv. 19.

3. Use the means of soul-humbling in the faith of
the promise, Psal. xxviii. 7. Moses, smiting the
rock in faith of the promise, made water gush out,
which otherwise would not at all have appeared.
Let us do likewise in dealing with our rocky hearts.
They must be laid on the soft bed of the gospel, and
struck there, as Joel ii. 13. " Turn to the Lord
your God, for he is gracious and merciful :" or they
will never kindly break or fall in humiliation.

II. Particular Directions.

1. Assure yourselves that there are no circum-
stances that you are in so humbling, but you may
get your heart acceptably brought down to them,
12*

120 DIRECTIONS FOR THIS PURPOSE.

1 Cor. X. 13. "But God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but
will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it." This is truth, 2 Cor.
xii. 9. "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my
strength is made perfect in weakness." And you
should be persuaded of it, with application to your-
selves, if ever you would reach the end. Phil. iv. 13*.
*' 1 can do all things througli* Christ which strength-
eneth me." God allows you to be persuaded of it,
whatever is your weakness and the difficulty of the
task. " For our sakes this is written. That he
that ploweth should plow in hope ; and he that
thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope."
1 Cor. ix. 10. And the belief thereof is a piece of
the life of faith, 2 Tim. ii. 1. If you have no hope
of success, your endeavours, as they will be heart-
less, so they will be vain. " Wherefore lift up the
hands that hang down, and the feeble knees." Heb.
xii. 12.

2. Whatever hand is, or is not, in your humbling
circumstances, do you take God for your party, and
consider yourselves therein as under his mighty
hand, iMicah vi. 9. Men in their humbling circum-
stances overlook God; so they find not themselves
called to humility under them ; they fix their eyes on
the creature instrument, and instead of humility,
their hearts rise. But take him for your party that
ye may remember the battle, and do no more. Job
xii. 8.

3. Be much in the thoughts of God's infinite
greatness; consider his holiness and majesty, to awe
you into the deepest humiliation, Isa. vi. 3 — 5. Job
met with many humbling providences in his case,
but he was never sufficiendy humbled under them,
till the Lord made a new discovery of himself unto

DIRECTIONS FOR THIS PURPOSE. 131

him, in his infinite majesty and greatness. He
kept his ground against his friends, and stood to his
points, till the Lord took that method with him. It
was begun with thunder, Job xxxvii. 1, 2. Then
followed Goci's voice out of the whirlwind, chap,
xxxviii. 1, whereon Job is brought down, chap. xl. 4.
5. It is renewed till he is farther humbled, chap. xlii.
5, 6. " Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in
dust and ashes."

4. Inure yourselves silently to admit mysteries in
the conduct of Providence towards you, which you
are not able to comprehend, but will adore, Rom.
xi. 33. " O the depth of the riches, both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable
are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"
That was the first word God said to Job, xxxviii. 2.
" Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words w^ith-
out knowledge ?" It went to his heart, stuck with
him, and he comes over it again, chap. xlii. 3, as
that which particularly brought him to his knees, to
the dust. Even in those steps of Providence, which
we seem to see far into, we may well allow there are
some mysteries beyond what we see. And in those
which are perplexing and puzzling, sovereignty
should silence us ; his infinite wisdom should satisfy
though we cannot see.

5. Be much in the thoughts of your own sinful-
ness. Job xl. 4. " Behold I am vile, what shall I
answer thee ? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth."
It is overlooking of that which gives us so much
ado with humbling circumstances. While the eyes
are held that they cannot see sin, the heart riseth
against them ; but when they are opened, it falls.
Wherefore, whenever God is dealing with you in
humbling dispensations, turn your eyes, upon that
oocasion, on the sinfulness of your nature, heart

122 DIRECTIONS FOR THIS PURPOSE.

and life, and that will help forward your humili-
ation.

6. Settle it in your heart, that there is need of all
the humbling circumstances you are put in. This is
truth, 1 Pet. i. 6. " Though now for a season (if
need be) ye are in heaviness through manifold temp-
tations." God brings no needless trials upon us,
afflicts none but as their need requires. Lam. iii. 33.
" For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the
children of men." That is an observable difference
betwixt our earthly and our heavenly Father's cor-
rection, Heb. xii. 10. " They, after their own plea-
sure ; but HE for our profit, that we might be par-
takers of his holiness." Look to the temper of your
own hearts and nature, how apt to be lifted up, to
forget God, to be carried away with the vanities of
the world : what foolishness is bound up in your
heart! Thus you will see the i>eed of humbling cir-
cumstances for ballast, and of the rod for the fool's
back ; and if at any time you cannot see that need,
believe it on the ground of God's infinite wisdom,
that does nothing in vain.

7. Believe a kind design of Providence in them
towards you. God calls us to this, as the key that
opens the heart under them. Rev. iii. 19. Satan sug-
gests suspicions to the contrary, as the bar which
may hold it shut, 2 Kings vi. 33. " This evil is of
the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any
longer?" As long as the suspicion of an ill design
in them against us reigns, the creature will, like the
worm at the man's feet, put itself in the best posture
of defence it can, and harden itself in sorrow: but
the faith of a kind design will cause it to open out
itself in humility before him.

Case. " 0 ! if I knew there were a kind design in
it, I would willingly bear it, although there were

ADDITIONAL MOTIVES URGED. 123

more of it ; but I fear a ruining design of Providence
against nie therein."

Ans. Now, what word of God, or discovery from
Heaven, have you to ground these fears upon?
None at all' but from hell, 1 Cor. x. 13. What
think you the design towards you in the gospel is?
Can you believe no kind design in all the words
of grace there heaped up? What is that, I pray, but
black unbelief in its hue of hell, flying in the face of
the truth of God, and making him a liar, Isa. Iv. 1.
1 John V. 10, 11. The gospel is a breathing of love
and good-will to the world of mankind sinners, Tilus
ii. 11; iii. 3, 4 ; 1 John iv. 14; John iii. 17. But
ye believe it not, in that case, more than devils believe
it. If he can believe a kind design there, ye must be-
lieve it in your humbling circumstances too ; for the
design of Providence cannot be contrary to the design
of the gospel ; but contrariwise, the latter is to help
forward to the other.

8. Think with yourselves, that this life is the time
of trial for heaven, James i. 12. " Blessed is the
man that endureth temptation ; for when he is tried,
he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord
hath promised to them that love him." And there-
fore there should be a welcoming of humbling cir-
cumstances in that view, ver. 2. " Count it all joy
when ye fall into divers temptations." If there is
an honourable office, or beneficial employment to be
bestowed, men strive to be taken on trial for it, in
hope they may be thereupon legally admitted to it.
Now God takes trial of men for heaven by humbling
circumstances, as the whole Bible teacheth ; and
shall men be so very loth to stoop to them? I
would ask you.

(1.) Is it nothinsf to you to stand a candidate for
glory, to be put on trial for heaven ? Is there not

124 ADDITIONAL MOTIVES URGED.

an honour in it, an honour which all the saints have
had? James v. 10, 11. "Behold we count them
happy that endure," &;c. And a fair prospect in it,
2 Cor. iv. 17. For our light affliction, which is but
for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory." Do but put the case,
that God should overlook you in that case, as one
whom it is needless ever to try on that head ; that he
should order you your portion in this life with full
ease, as one that is to get no more of him ; what
would that be ?

(2.) What a vast disproportion is there between
your trials and the future glory ? Your most hum-
bling circumstances, how light are they in compari-
son of the weight of it ! The longest continuance of
them is but for a moment, compared with that eter-
nal weight. Alas ! there is much unbelief at the root
of all our uneasiness under our humbling circum-
stances. Had we a clearer view of the other world,
we should not make so much of either the smiles or
frowns of this.

(3.) What think ye of coming foul off in the trial
of your humbling circumstances ? Jer. vi. 29, 30.
"The lead is consumed of the fire; the founder
melteth in vain ; for the wicked are not plucked
away. Reprobate silver shall men call them, because
the Lord hath rejected them." That the issue of it
be only, that your heart appear of such a temper as
by no means to be humbled ; and that therefore you
must and shall be taken off them, while yet no hum-
bling appears. I think the awfulness of the dispen-
sation is such, as might set us to our knees to
deprecate the lifting us up from our humbling cir-
cumstances, ere our hearts are humbled, Isa. i. 5.
Ezek. xxiv. 13.

9. Think with yourselves, how, by humbling cir-

ADDITIONAL MOTIVES URGED. 125

cumstances, the Lord prepares us for heaven, " Giv-
ing thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet
to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light," Col. i. 12; 2 Cor. v. 5. The stones and
timber are laid down, turned over and over, and
hewed, ere they be set up in the building; and not
set up just as they come out of the quarry and wood.
Were they capable of a choice, such of them as
would refuse the iron tool would be refused a place
in the building. Pray, how think ye to be made
meet for heaven, by the warm sunshine of this
world's ease, and getting all your will here? Nay,
Sirs, that would put your mouth out of taste for the
joys of the other world. Vessels of dishonour are
fitted for destruction that way ; but vessels of honour
for glory by humbling circumstances. I would here
say,

(1.) Will nothing please you but two heavens,
one here, another hereafter ? God has secured one
heaven for the saints, one place where they shall get
all their will, wish, and desire ; where there shall be
no weight on them to hold them down ; and that is
in the other world. But ye must have it both here
and there, or ye cannot digest it. Why do you not
quarrel too, that there are not two summers in one
year ; two days in the twenty-four hours ? The order
of the one heaven is as firm as that of the years and
days, and ye cannot reverse it: therefore, choose ye
whether you will take your night or your day first,
your winter or your summer, your heaven here or
hereafter.

(2.) Without being humbled with humbling cir-
cumstances in this life, ye are not capable of heaven,
2 Cor. V. 5. " Now, he that hath wrought us for
the self-same thing is God." You may indeed lie
at ease here in a bed of sloth, and dream of heaven,

126 ADDITIONAL MOTIVES URGED.

big with hopes of a fool's paradise, wishing to cast
yourselves just out of Delilah's lap into Abraham's
bosom ; but except ye be humbled, ye are not
capable.

(1.) Of the Bible-heaven, that heaven described
in the Old and New Testaments. Is not that heaven
a lifting up in due time ? But, how shall ye be
lifted up that are never well got down ? Where will
your tears be to be wiped away? What place will
there be for your triumph, who will not fight the good
fight? How can it be a rest to you, who cannot sub-
mit to labour?

(2.) Of the saints' heaven, Rev. vii. 14. " And
he said unto me. These are they which came out of
great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb." This
answers the question about Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, and all ihe saints with them there : they were
brought down to the dust by humbling 'circum-
stances, and out of these they came before the throne.
How can ye ever think to be lifted up with them with
whom ye cannot think to be brought down?

(3.) Of Christ's heaven, Heb. xii. 2. " Who for
the joy that was set before him, endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is now set down at the
right hand of God." O ! consider how the Fore-
runner made his way, Luke xxiv. 26. " Ought not
Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter
into his glory?" And lay your account with it, that
if ye get where he is, ye must go thither as he went,
Luke ix. 23. " And he said. If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow me."

10. Give up at length with your towering hopes
from this world, and confine them to the world to
come. Be as pilgrims and strangers here, looking

ADDITIONAL DIRECTIONS GIVEN. 127

for your rest in heaven, and not till ye come there.
There is a prevailing evil, Isa. Ivii. 10. "Thou art
v/earied in the greatness of thy way: yet saidst thou
not, There is no hope." So the Babel-building is
still continued, though it has fallen down again and
again : for men say, " The bricks are fallen down,
but we will build with hewn stones ; the sycamores
are cut down, but we will change them into cedars."
Isa. ix. 10. This makes humbling work very long-
some ; we are so hard to quit hold of the creature,
to fall off from the breast and be weaned : but fasten
on the other world, and let your hold of this go ; so
shall ye " be humbled" indeed under " the mighty
hand." The faster you hold the happiness of that
world, the easier will it be to accommodate your-
selves to your humbling circumstances here.

11. Make use of Christ in all his offices, for your
humiliation under your humbling circumstances.
That only is kindly humiliation that comes in this
way, Zech, xii. 10. " And they shall look upon me
whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn," (fee.
This you must do by trusting on him for that effect,

(1.) As a Priest for you. You have a conscience,
full of guilt, and that will make one uneasy in any
circumstances; and far more in humbling circum-
stances; it will be like a thorn in the shoulder on
which a burden is laid. But the blood of Christ will
purge the conscience, draw out the thorn, give ease,
Isa. xxxiii. 24, and fit for service, doing or suffering,
Heb. ix. 14. " How much more shall the blood of
Christ — purge your conscience from dead works to
serve the living God ?"

(2.) As your Prophet to teach you. We have

need to be taught rightly to discern our humbling

circumstances; for, often we mistake them so far,

that they prove an oppressive load ; whereas, could

13

128 THE HUMBLE SHALL BE LIFTED UP.

we rightly see them, just as God sets them to us,
they would be humbling, but not so oppressive.
Truly we need Christ, and the light of his word and
Spirit, to let us see our cross and trial as well as our
duty, Psal. xxv. 9, 10.

(3.) As your King. You have a stiff heart, loth
to bow, even in humbling circumstances : take a
lesson from Moses what to do in such a case, Exod.
xxxiv. 9. *' And he said, Let my Lord, I pray
thee, go amongst us, (for it is a stiff-necked people,)
and pardon our iniquity and our sin." Put it in his
hand that is strong and mighty, Psal. xxiv. 8. He
is able to cause it to melt, and, like wax before the
fire, turn to the seal.

Think on these directions, in order to put them in
practice, remembering: if ye know these things,
happy are ye if ye do them. Remember humbling
work is a work that will fill your hand, while you
live here, and that you cannot come to the end of it
till death ; and humbling circumstances will attend
you, while you are in this lower world. A change
of them ye may get; but a freedom from them ye
cannot, till ye come to heaven. So the humbling
circumstances of our imperfections, relations, contra-
dictions, afflictions, uncertainties, and sinfulness, will
afford matter of exercise to us while here. — What
remains of the purpose of this text, 1 shall com-
prise in,

DocT. IL There is a due time, wherein those that
now humble themselves under the mighty hand of
God will certainly be lifted up,

1. Those who shall share of this lifting up, must
lay their account, in the first place, with a casting
down, Rev. vii. 14. ; John xvi. 33. *• In the world

HUMILIATION NECESSARY. 129

ye shall have tribulation." There is no coming to
the promised land, according to the settled method
of grace, but through the wilderness ; nor entering
into this exaltation, but through a strait gate. If we
cannot away with the casting down, we shall not
taste the sweet of the lifting up.

2. Being cast down by the mighty hand of God,
we must learn to lie still and quiet under it, till the
same hand that cast us down raise us up, if we
would share of this promised lifting up. Lam. iii.
27. It is not the being cast down into humbling
circumstances, by the providence of God, but the
coming down of our spirits under them, by the grace
of God, that brings us within the compass of this
promise.

3. Those who are never humbled in humbling cir-
cumstances shall never be lifted up in the way of this
promise. Men may keep their spirits on the high
bend in their humbling circumstances, and in that
case may get a lifting up, Prov. xvi. 19; but such
a lifting up, as will end in a more grievous fall.
'* Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou
castedst them down in a moment." Psalm Ixxiii. 18.
But they who will not humble themselves in hum-
bling circumstances, will find that their obstinacy
will keep their misery ever fast on them without
remedy.

4. Humility of spirit, in humbling circumstances,
ascertains a lifting up out of them some time, with
the good- will and favour of heaven, Luke xviii. 14.
" I tell you this man went down to his house justified
rather than the other ; for every one that exalteth
himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth him-
self shall be exalted." Solomon observes, Prov.
XV. 1. that " a soft answer turneth away wrath ; but
grievous words stir up anger." And so it is, that

130 THERE MUST BE A WAITING TIME.

while the proud, through their obstinacy, do but
wreathe the yoke faster about their own necks, the
humble ones, by their yielding, make their relief
sure, 1 Sam. ii. 8 — 10. " He raiseth up the poor
out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the
dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make
them inherit the throne of glory. He will keep the
feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in
darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The
adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces."
So cannon will break down a stone wall, while yield-
ing packs of wool will take away its force.

5. There is an appointed time for the lifting up of
those that humble themselves in their humbling cir-
cumstances, Hab. ii. 3. " For the vision is yet for
an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and
not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will
surely come, it will not tarry." To every thing
there is a time, as for humbling, so for lifting up,
Eccles. iii. 3. We know it not, but God knows it,
who hath appointed it. Let not the humble one say,
I shall never be lifted up. There is a time fixed for
it, as precisely as for the rising of the sun after a long
and dark night, or the return of the spring after a
long and sharp winter.

6. It is not to be expected, that immediately upon
one's humbling himself, the lifting up is to follow.
No : one is not merely to lie down under the mighty
hand, but to lie still, waiting the due time; hum-
bling work is longsome work; the Israelites had
forty years of it in the wilderness. God's people
must be brought to put a blank in his hand, as to
the time ; and while they have a long night of walk-
ing iu darkness, must trust, Isa. I. 10. " Who is
among you, that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the
voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and

THERE IS A TWO-FOLD LIFTING UP. 131

hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the
Lord, and stay upon his God."

7. The appointed time for the lifting up is the due
time, the time fittest for it, wherein it will come most
seasonably. " And let us not be weary in well-
doing; for, in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not," Gal. vi. 9. For that is the time God has
chosen for it; and be sure his choice, as the choice
of infinite wisdom, is the best; and therefore faith
sets to wait it, Isa. xxviii. 16. " He that believeth
shall not make haste." Much of the beauty of any
thing depends on the timing of it, and he has fixed
that in all that he does, Eccl. iii. 11. "He hath
made every thing beautiful in his time."

8. The lifting up of the humble will not fail to
come in the appointed and due time, Hab. ii. 3.
Time makes no halting, it is running day and night;
so the due time is fast coming, and when it comes, it
will bring the lifting up along with it. Let the hum-
bling circumstances be ever so low, ever so hopeless,
it is impossible but the lifting up from them must
come in the due time.

A word, in tlie general, to the lifting up, abiding
those that humble themselves. There is a two-fold
lifting up.

1. A partial lifting up, competent to the humbled
in time, during this life, Psal. xxx. 1. " I will extol
thee, O Lord, for thou hast lifted me up, and hast
not made my foes to rejoice over me." This is a
lifting up in part, and but in part, not wholly ; and
such liftings up the humbled may expect, while in
this world, but no more. — These give a breathing to
the weary, a change of burdens, but do not set them
at perfect ease. So Israel, in the wilderness, in the
midst of their many mourning times, had some sing-
ing ones, Exod. xv. 1 ; Numbers xxi. 17.
13*

132 THE ONE PARTIAL, THE OTHER TOTAL.

2, A total lifting up, competent to them at the
end of lime, at death, Luke xvi. 22. " It came to
pass, that the beggar died, and was carried, by the
angels, into Abraham's bosom." Then the Lord
deals with them no more by parcels, but carries
their relief to perfection, Heb. xii. 22, 23. Then
he takes off all their burdens, eases them of all their
weights, and lays no more on forever. He then lifts
them up to a height they were never at before ; no,
not even at their higliest. He sets them quite above
all that is low, and therein fixes them, never to be
brought down more. Now, there is a due time for
both these.

(1.) For the partial lifting up. Every time is not
fit for it; we are not always fit to receive comfort
and ease, or a change of our burdens. God sees
there are times wherein it is needful for his people
to be " in heaviness," 1 Pet. i. 6, to have their
*' hearts brought down with grief," Psal. cvii. 12.
But then there is a time really appointed for it in
the divine wisdom, when he will think it as needful to
comfort them, as before to bring down, 2 Cor. ii. 7.
** So that, contrarywise, ye ought rather to forgive,
and comfort him, lest perhaps such an one should be
swallowed up with over much sorrow." We are, in
that case, in the hand of God, as in the hand of our
physician, who appoints the time the drawing plaster
shall continue, and when the healing plaster shall be
applied, and leaves it not to the patient.

(2.) For the total lifting up. When we are sore
oppressed with our burdens, we are ready to think,
Oh ! to be away, and set beyond them all. Job vii.
2, 3. " As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow,
and as an hireling lookelh for the reward of his
work ; so am I made to possess months of vanity,
and wearisome nights are appointed to me." But

THE LIFTING UP OF THE HUMBLE SURE. 133

it may be fitter, for all that, that we stay awhile, and
struggle with our burdens, Phil. i. 24, 25. " Ne-
vertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for
you. And having this confidence, I know that I
shall abide and continue with you all, for your fur-
therance and joy of faith." A few days might have
taken Israel out of Egypt into Canaan ; but they
would have been too soon there, if they had made
all that speed ; so they behoved to spend forty years
in the wilderness, till their due time of entering Ca-
naan should come. And be sure the saints entering
heaven will be convinced, that the time of it is best
chosen, and there will be a beauty in that it was no
sooner. And thus a lifting up is secured for the
humble.

If one should assure you, when reduced to po-
verty, that the time would certainly come yet,
that you should be rich; when sore sick, that you
should not die of that disease, but certainly recover;
that would help you to bear your poverty and sick-
ness the better, and you would comfort yourselves
with that prospect. However, one may continue
poor, and never be rich, may be sick, and die of his
disease ; but whoever humble themselves under their
humbling circumstances, we can assure them from
the Lord's word they shall certainly, without all per-
adventure, be lifted up out of, and relieved from,
their humbling circumstances: they shall certainly
see the day of their ease and relief, when they shall
remember their burdens as waters that fail. And
you may be assured thereof, from the following con-
siderations.

The nature of God, duly considered, ensures it,
Psal. ciii. 8, 9. " The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will
not always chide ; neither will he keep his anger for

134 FROM THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD.

ever." The humbled soul, looking to God in Christ,
may see three things, in hisnature jointly securing it.

1. Infinite power, that can do all things. No cir-
cumstances are so low, but he can raise them ; so
entangling and perplexing, but he can unravel them ;
so hopeless, but he can remedy them. Gen. xviii. 14.
" Is any thing too hard for the Lord ?" Be our case
what it will, it is never past reach with him to help
it ; but then, it is the most proper season for him to
take it in hand, when all others have given it over,
Deut. xxxii. 36. " For the Lord shall judge his
people, and repent himself for his servants ; when he
seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut
up, or left."

2. Infinite goodness inclining to help. He is good
and gracious in his nature, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. And
therefore his power is a spring of comfort to them,
Rom. xiv. 4. Men may be willing that are notable,
or able that are not willing; but infinite goodness,
joining infinite power in God, may ascertain the
humbled of a lifting up in due time. That is a word
of inconceivable sweetness, 1 John iv. 16. " And
we have known and believed the love that God hath
unto us. God is love ; and he that dwelleth in love,
dwelleth in God, and God in him." He has the
bowels of a father towards the humble, Psal. ciii. 13.
" Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord
pitieth them that fear him." Yea, bowels of mercy
more tender than a mother to her*sucking child, Isa.
xlix. 15. Wherefore, howbeit his wisdom may see
it necessary to put them in humbling circumstances,
and keep them there for a time, it is not possible he
can leave them therein altogether.

3. Infinite wisdom, that doth nothing in vain, and
therefore will not needlessly keep one in humbling
circumstances, Lam. iii. 32, 33. "But though he

FROM THE REVOLUTIONS OF NATURE. 135

cause grief, yet will he have compassion according
to the multitude of his mercies ; for he dolh not
afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men."
God sends afflictions for humbling, as the end and
design to be brought about by them ; when what is
obtained, and there is no more use for them that way,
we may assure ourselves they will be taken off.

The providence of God, viewed in its stated me-
thods of procedure with its objects, ensures it. Turn
your eyes which way you will on the divine provi-
dence, you may conclude thence, that in due time
the humble will be lifted up.

Observe the providence of God, in the revolutions
of the whole course of nature, day succeeding to the
longest night, a summer to the winter, a waxing to
a waning of the moon, a flowing to an ebbing of the
sea, (fee. Let not the Lord's humbled ones be idle
spectators of these things : they are for our learning,
Jer. xxxi. 35 — 37. " Thus saith the Lord, which
giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances
of the moon, and of the stars for a light by night,
which divideth the sea, when the waves thereof
roar; the Lord of hosts is his name. If those ordi-
nances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then
the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation
before me for ever." Will the Lord's hand keep such
a steady course in the earth, sea, and visible hea-
vens, as to bring a lifting up in them after a casting
down, and only forget his humbled ones? No, by
no means.

Observe the providence of God, in the dispensa-
tions thereof, about the man Christ, the most no-
ble and august object thereof, more valuable than
a thousand worlds. Col. ii. 9. Did not providence
keep this course with him, first humbling him, then
exalting him, and lifting him up ? first bringing him

136 THE HUMILIATION AND EXALTATION OF CHRIST.

lo the dust of death, in a course of sufferings thirty-
three years, then exalting Iiim to the Father's right
hand in an eternity of glory ? Heb. xii. 2. " Who
for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is now set down at the right
hand of the throne of God." Phil. ii. 8, 9. *' And
being found in fashion as a man, he humbled him-
self, and became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross; wherefore God also hath highly ex-
alted him." The exaltation could not fail to follow
his humiliation, Luke xxiv. 26. " Ought not Christ
to have suffered these things, and to enter into his
glory ?" And he saw and believed it would follow,
as the springing of the seed doth the sowing it, John
xii. 24. There is a near concern the humbled in
humbling circumstances have herein.

This is the pattern Providence copies after in its
conduct towards you. The Father was so well
pleased with this method, in the case of his own Son,
that it was determined to be followed, and just co-
pied over again in the case of all the heirs of glory,
Rom. viii. 29. " For whom he did foreknow, he also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
Son, that he " might be the first born among many
brethren." And who would not be pleased to walk
through the darkest valley treading his steps ?

This is a sure pledge of your lifting up. Christ,
in his state of humiliation, was considered as a pub-
lic person and representative, and so is he in his
exaltation. So Christ's exaltation ensures your
exaltation out of your humbling circumstances,
" Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead
body shall they arise ; awake and sing, ye that dwell
in the dust," Isa. xxvi. 19. " Come and let us return
unto the Lord : for he hath torn, and he will heal us ;
he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two

THE DISPENSATIONS OF PROVIDENCE. 137

days he will revive us: in the third day, he will
raise us up, and we shall live in his sight." Hos. vi.
1, 2. And hath raised us up together, and made us
sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Eph.
ii. 6. Yea, he is gone into the state of glory for us
as our forerunner. "Whither the forerunner is for
lis entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever."
Heb. vi. 20.

His humiliation was the price of your exaltation,
and his exaltation a testimony of the acceptance
of its payment to the full. There are no humbling
circumstances ye are in, but ye would have perished
in them, had not he purchased your lifting up out of
them by his own humiliation, Isa. xxvi. 19. Now,
his humbling grace in you is an evidence of the ac-
ceptance of his humiliation for your lifting up.

Observe the providence of God towards the church
in all ages. This has been the course the Lord has
kept with her, Psal. cxxix. 1 — 4. Abel was slain
by wicked Cain, to the great grief of Adam and Eve,
and the rest of their pious children ; but then there
was another seed raised up in Abel's room. Genesis
iv. 25. Noah and his sons were buried alive in the
ark for more than a year: but then they were brought
out into a new world and blessed. Abraham .for
many years went childless ; but at length Isaac was
born. Israel was long in miserable bondage in
Egypt ; but at length seated in the promised land, &;c.
We must be content to go by the footsteps of the
flock ; and if in humiliation, we shall surely follow
them in exaltation too.

Observe the providence of God in the dispensa-
tions of his grace towards his children. The general
rule is, 1 Pet. v. 5. " For God resisteth the proud,
and giveth grace to the humble." How are they
brought into a state of grace ? Is it not by a sound

138 THE DOCTRINES OF THE WORD.

work of humiliation going before? Luke vi. 48. And
ordinarily the greater the measure of grace designed
for any, the deeper is their humiliation before, as in
Paul's case. If they are to be recovered out of a
backsliding case, the same method is followed : so
that the deepest humiliation ordinarily makes way
for the greatest comfort, and the darkest hour goes
before the rising of the Sun of righteousness upon
them, Isa. Ixvi. 5 — 13.

Observe the providence of God at length throw-
ing down wicked men, however long they stand and
prosper, Psal. xxxvii. 25, 36. "I have seen the
wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a
green bay tree ; yet he passed away, and lo he was
not; yea, I sought him but he could not be found."
They are long green before the sun, but at length
they are suddenly smitten with an east wind, and
wither away; their lamp goes out with a stench, and
they are put out in obscure darkness. Now, it is
inconsistent with the benignity of the divine nature,
to forget the humble to raise them, while he minds
the proud to abase them.

The word of God puts it beyond all peradventure,
which, from the beginning to the end, is the humbled
saint's security for a lifting up, Psal. cxix. 49, 50.
"Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which
thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort
in my affliction ; for thy word hath quickened me.'*
His word is the great letter of his name, which he
will certainly cause to shine, Psal. cxxxviii. 2. " For
thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name ;"
and in all generations hast been safely relied on,
Psal. xii. 6. Consider

1. The doctrines of the word, which leach faith
and hope for the time, and the happy issue which
the exercise of these graces will have. The whole

THE PROMISES AND EXAMPLES OF THE WORD. 139

current of Scripture, to those in humbling circum-
stances, is, " not to cast away their confidence, but
to hope to the end;" and that for this good reason,
that " it shall not be in vain." See Psal. xxvii. 14.
" Wait on the Lord ; be of good courage, and he
shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the
Lord." And compare Rom. ix. 33; Isa. xlix. 23.
" For they shall not be ashamed that wait for me."

2. The promises of the word, whereby hea-
ven is expressly engaged for a lifting up to those
that humble themselves in humbling circumstances,
*' Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and
he shall lift you up," James iv. 10. " And he that
humbleth himself shall be exalted," Matt, xxiii. 12.
It may take a time to prepare them for lifting up,
but that being done, it is secured, " Lord, thou
hast heard the desire of the humble; thou wilt pre-
pare their heart ; thon wilt cause thine ear to hear,"
Psal. x. 17. They have his word for deliverance,
Psal. 1. 15. And though they may seem to be for-
gotten, they shall not be always so; the time of
their deliverance will come. " For the needy shall
not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor
shall not perish for ever," Psal. ix. 18. " He will
regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise
their prayer," Psa. cii. 17.

3. The examples of the word sufficiently con-
firming|lhe truth of the doctrines and promises, Rom.
XV. 4. '* For whatsoever things were written afore-
time, were written for our learning ; that we through
patience and comfort of the scriptures might have
hope." In the doctrines and promises the lifting up
is proposed to our faith, to be reckoned on the
credit of God's word ; but, in the examples it is, in
the case of others, set before our eyes to be seen.
James v. 11. '* Behold we count them happy which

14

140 THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST.

endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and
have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very-
pitiful, and of tender mercy." There we see it in
the case of Abraham, Job, David, Paul, and other
saints; but above all, in the case of the man Christ.

4. The intercession of Christ, joining the prayers
and cries of his humbled people, in their humbling
circumstances, ensures a lifting up for them at length.
Be it so, that the proud cry not when he bindeth
them ; yet his own humbled ones will certainly cry
unto him, Psal. xlii. 7, 8. " Deep calleth unto deep,
at the noise of thy water spouts ; all thy waves and
thy billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will
command his loving-kindness in the day-time, and
in the night his song shall be with me, and my
prayer unto the God of my life." And though un-
believers may soon be outwearied, and give it over
altogether, surely believers will not do so ; but though
they may, in a fit of temptation, lay it by as hope-
less, they will find themselves obliged to take it up
again, Jer. xx. 9. " Then I said, I will not make
mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.
But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire
shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbear-
ing, and I could not stay.'' They will cry, night
and day, unto him, Luke xviii. 7, knowing no time
for giving it over till they be lifted up. Lam. iii.
49, 50. " Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not,
without any intermission; till the Lord look down,
and behold from heaven." Now, Christ's interces-
sion being joined with these cries, there cannot fail
to be a lifting up.

Christ's intercession is certainly joined with the
cries and prayers of the humbled in their humbling
circumstances. Rev. viii. 3. " And another angel
came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer,

THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST. 141

and there was given unto him much incense, that
he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon
the golden altar which was before the throne." They
are by the Spirit helped to groan for relief, Rom.
viii. 26, and the prayers and groans, which are
through the Spirit, are certainly to be made effectual
by the intercession of the Son, James v. 16. And
ye may know they are by the Spirit, if so be ye are
helped to continue praying, hoping for your suit at
last on the ground of God's word of promise; for
nature's praying is a pool that will dry up in a long
drought. The Spirit of prayer is the lasting spring,
John iv. 14; Psal. cxxxviii. 3. " In the day when
I cried, thou answeredst me ; and strengthenedst me
with strength in my soul." Truly there is an inter-
cession in heaven, on account of the humbling cir-
cumstances of the humble ones. " Then the angel
of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts,
how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem,
and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast
had indignation these threescore and ten years?"
Zech. i. 12. How then can they miss of a lifting up
in due time?

Christ is in deep earnest in his intercession for
his people in their humbling circumstances. Some
will sj)eak a good word in favour of the helpless,
that will be little concerned whether they speed or
not; but our Intercessor is in earnest in behalf of
his humbled ones : for he is touched with sympathy
in their case, Isa. Ixiii. 9. " In all their affliction he
was afflicted." A most tender sympathy, Zech. ii. 8.
" For he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his
eye." He has their case upon his heart, where he is in
the holy place in the highest heavens, Exod. xxviii. 29,
and he keeps an exact account of the time of their
humbling circumstances, be it as long as it will.

142 THE PARTIAL LIFTING UP CONSIDERED.

Zech. i. 12. Moreover, it is his own business; the
lifting up which they are to have is a thing that is
secured to him in the promises made to him on the
account of his blood shed for them, Psal. Ixxxix,
33 — 36. So not only are they looking on earth,
but the man Christ is in heaven looking for the ac-
complishment of these promises, Heb. x. 12, 13.
" But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice
for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God;
from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made
his footstool." How is it possible, then, that he
should be balked? Moreover, these humbling cir-
cumstances are his own sufferings still, though not in
his person, yet in his members, Col. i. 24. *' Who
now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that
which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my
flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church."
Wherefore there is all ground to conclude he is in
deep earnest. Again,

His intercession is always effectual, John xi. 42.
" And I know that thou hearest me always." It
cannot miss to be so, because he is the Father's
well-beloved Son; his intercession has a plea of
justice for the ground of it, 1 John ii. 1. *' We
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous." Moreover, he has all power in heaven
and earth lodged in him. Matt, xxviii. 18. And,
finally, he and his Father are one, and their will
one. So, both Christ and his Father do will the
lifting up of the humble ones, but yet only in the
due time.

I now proceed to a more particular view of the
point. And, 1. We will consider the lifting up as
brought about in time, which is the partial lift-
ing up.

This lifting up does not take place in every

THE PARTIAL LIFTING UP. 143

case of a child of God. One may be humbled in
humbling circumstances, from which he is not to get
a lifting up in time. We would not from the pro-
mise presently conclude, that we being humbled
under our humbling circumstances, shall certainly
be taken out of them, and freed from them ere we
get to the end of our journey. For it is certain,
there are some, such as our imperfections, and sin-
fulness, and mortality, we can by no means be rid of
while in this world. And there are particular hum-
bling circumstances the Lord may bring about one,
and keep about him, till he goes down to the grave,
while, in the mean time, he may lift up another from
the same. Heman was pressed down all along from
his youth, Psal. xxxviii. 15, others all their lifetime,
Heb. ii. 15.

Object. " If that be the case, what comes of the
promise of lifting up? Where is the lifting up, if
one may go to the grave under the weight?"

Ans. Were there no life after this, there would be
ground for that objection; but since there is another
life, there is none in it at all. In the other life the
promise will be accomplished to the humbled, as it
was, Luke xvi. 22. Consider that the great term
for accomplishing the promises is the other life, not
this. These all died in the faith, not having re-
ceived the promises, but having seen them afar off,
and were persuaded of them, and embraced them."
Heb. xi. 13. And that whatever accomplishment of
the promise is here, it is not of the nature of a stock,
but of a sample or a pledge.

Quest. «' But then, may we not give over praying
for the lifting up, in that case?"

Ans. We do not know when that is our case ; for
a case may be past all hope in our eyes, and the eyes
of others, in which God designs a lifting up in time,
14*

144 THE PARTIAL LIFTING UP.

as in Job's, chap. vL 11. ♦' What is my strength that
I should hope ; and what is mine end that I should
prolong my life?" But, be it as it will, we should
never give over praying for the lifting up, since it
will certainly come to all who pray in faith for it; if
not here, yet hereafter. The promise is sure, and
that is the commandment; so much praying cannot
miss of a happy issue at length, Psa. 1. 15. " Call
upon me in the day of trouble ; I will deliver thee,
and thou shalt glorify me." The whole life of a
Christian is a praying, waiting life, to encourage
whereunto all temporal deliverances are given as
pledges, Rom. viii. 23. " And not only they, but
ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the
Spirit; even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of
our body." And whoso observes that full lifting up
at death to be at hand, must certainly rise, if he has
given over his case as hopeless.

However, there are some cases wherein this lifting
up does take place. God gives his people some
notable liftings up, even in time raising them out of
remarkably humbling circumstances. The storm is
changed into a calm, and they remember it as waters
that fail, Psa. xl. 1—4.

Some may be in humbling circumstances very
long, and sore and hopeless, and yet a lifting up may
be abiding them, of a much longer continuance.
This is sometimes the case with the children of God,
who are set to bear the yoke in their youth, as it
was with Joseph and David; and of them that get
it laid on them in their middle age, as it was with
Job, who could not be less than forty years old at his
trouble's coming, but after it, lived one hundred and
fort}^ Job xlii. 16. God by such methods prepares
man for peculiar usefulness.

THE PARTIAL LIFTING UP. 145

Others may be in humbling circumstances long
and sore, and quite hopeless in the ordinary course
of providence, yet they may get a lifting up ere they
come to their journey's end. The life of some of
God's children is like a cloudy and rainy day,
wherein, in the evening, the sun breaks out from
under the clouds, shines fair and clear a little, and
then sets. *' And it shall come to pass in that day,
that the light shall not be clear, nor dark. But it
shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be
light," Zech. xiv. 6, 7. Such was the case of Ja-
cob in his old age, brought in honour and comfort
into Egypt unto his son, and then died.

Yet, whatever liftings up they get in this life, they
will never want some weights hanging about them
for their humbling. They may have their singing
times, but their songs, while in this world, will be
mixed with groanings, 2 Cor. v. 4. " For we that
are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened."
The unmixed dispensation is reserved for the other
world; but this will be a wilderness unto the end,
where there will be bowlings, with the most joyful
notes.

All the liftings up which the humbled meet with
now are pledges, and but pledges and samples of
the great lifting up, abiding them on the other side;
and they should look on them so. Hos. ii. 15. " And
I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the
valley of Achor for a door of hope ; and she shall sing
there as in the days of her youth, and as in the day
when she came up out of the land of Egypt. Our Lord
is now leading his people through the wilderness, and
the manna and the water of the rock are earnests of
the milk and honey flowing in the promised land.
They are not yet come home to their father's house,
but they are travelling on the road, and Christ their

146 OBJECTION ANSWERED.

elder brother with them, who bears their expenses,
takes them into inns by the way, as it were, and
refreshes them with partial liftings up; after which,
they must get to the road again. But that entertain-
ment by the way is a pledge of the full entertainment
he will afford them when they come home.

Object. *' But people may get a lifting up in time,
that yet is no pledge of a lifting up on the other side:
How shall I know it then to be a pledge?"

Ans. That lifting up which comes by the promises,
is certainly a pledge of the full lifting up in the other
world; for, as the other life is the proper time of
the accomplishing of the promises, so we may be
sure, that when God once begins to clear his bond,
he will certainly hold on till it is fully cleared.
" The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me,"
Psalm cxxxviii. 8. So we may say, as Naomi to
Ruth, upon her receiving the six measures of barley
from Boaz, Ruth iii. 18, "He will not be in rest
until he have finished the thing this day." There
are liftings up that come by common providence, and
these indeed are single, and not pledges of more; but
the promise chains mercies together, so that one got
is a pledge of another to come, yea, of the whole
chain to the end, 2 Sam. v. 12.

Quest. " But how shall I know the lifting up to
come by the way of the promise?"

Ans. That which comes by the way of the pro-
mise, comes in the low way of humiliation, the
high way of faith, or believing the promise, and
the long way of waiting hope and patient continu-
ance, James v. 7. " Be patient therefore, brethren,
unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husband-
man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and
hath long patience for it until he receive the early
and latter rain. Humility prepares for the accom-

BENEFITS OF THIS LIFTING UP. 147

plishment of the promise, faith sucks the breast of it,
and patient waiting hangs by the breast till the milk
come abundantly.

But no liftings up of God's children here are any
more than pledges of lifting up. God gives worldly
men their stock here, but his children get nothing
but a sample of theirs here, Psalm xvii. 14. Even
as the servant at the term gets his fee in a round
sum, while the young heir gets nothing but a few
pence for spending money. The truth is, this same
spending money is more valuable than the world's
stock. Psalm iv. 7. " Thou hast put gladness in my
heart, more than in the time that their corn and their
wine increased." But though it is better than that,
and their services too, and more worth than all their
waiting, yet it is below the honour of their God to
put them off with it, Heb. xi. 16. " But now they
desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; where-
fore God is not ashamed to be called their God ; for
he hath prepared for them a city."

We shall now consider what they will get by this
lifting up promised to the humbled.

They will get,

1. A removal of their humbling circumstances.
God having tried them awhile, and humbled them,
and brought down their hearts, will, at length, take
off their burden, remove the weight so long hung on
them, and so take them off that part of their trial
joyfully, and let them get up their back long bowed
down; and this one of two ways.

Either in kind, by a total removal of the bur-
den. Such a lifting Job got, when the Lord turned
back his captivity, increased again his family and
substance, which had both been desolated. David,
when Saul his persecutor fell in battle, and he was
brought to the kingdom after many a weary day, ex-

148 BENEFITS OF THIS LIFTING UP.

pecting one day to fall by his hand. It is easy with
our God to make such turns in the most hurabUng
circumstances.

Or in equivalent, or as good, removing the weight
of the burden, that though it remains, it presses them
no more, 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10. " And he said unto me.
My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is
made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore,
will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power
of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take
pleasure in infirmities." Though they are not got
to the shore, yet their head is no more under the
water, but lifted up. David speaks feelingly of such
a lifting up, Psal. xxvii. 5, 6. " For in the time of
trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion ; in the secret
of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me
upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up
above mine enemies round about me ; therefore will
I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy ; I will sing,
yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Such had
the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, the fire burnt,
but it could burn nothing of them but their bonds ;
they had the warmth and light of it, but nothing of
the scorching heat.

2. A comfortable sight of the acceptance of their
prayers, put up in their humbling circumstances.
While prayers are not answered, but trouble conti-
nued, they are apt to think they are not accepted or
regarded in heaven, because there is no alteration in
their case. Job ix. 16, 17. " If I had called, and
he had answered me, yet would I not believe that
he had hearkened unto my voice, for he breaketh me
with a tempest." But that is a mistake; they are
accepted immediately, though not answered, 1 John
V. 14. " And this is the confidence we have in him,
that if we ask any thing according to his will, he

BENEFITS OF THIS LIFTING UP. 149

hearelh us." The Lord does with them as a father,
with the letters coming thick from his son abroad,
reads them one by one with pleasure, and care-
fully lays them up to be answered at his con-
venience. And when the answer comes, the son
will know how acceptable they were to his father,
Matt. XV. 28.

3. A heart-satisfying answer of their prayers, so
that they shall not only get the thing, but se^^ they
have it as an answer of prayer; and they will put a
double value on the mercy, 1 Sam. ii. 1. Accepted
prayers may be very long of answering, many years,
as in Abraham and David's case, but they cannot
miscarry of an answer at length, Psalm ix. 18. The
time will come when God will tell out to them, ac-
cording to the promise, that they shall change their
note, and say, Psalm cxvi. 1. "I love the Lord,
because he hath heard my voice, and my supplica-
tion:" looking on their lifting up as bearing the sig-
nature of the hand of a prayer-hearing God.

4. Full satisfaction, as to the conduct of Provi-
dence, in all the steps of the humbling circumstances,
and the delay of the lifting up, however perplexing
these were before, Revelation xv. 3. Standing on
the shore, and looking back to what they have passed
through, they will be made to say, " He hath done
all things well." Those things which are bitter to
Christians in the passing through, are very sweet in
the reflection on them; so is Samson's riddle verified
in their experience.

5. They get the lifting up, together with the in-
terest for the time they lay out of it. When God
pays his bonds of promises, he pays both principal
and interest together; the mercy is increased accord-
ing to the time they waited, and the expenses and
hardships sustained, during the dependance of the

150 THE DUE TIME OF THIS LIFTING UP.

process. The fruits of common providence are
soon ripe, soon rotten; but the fruit of the promise
is often long a ripening, but then it is durable: and
the longer it is a ripening, it is the more valuable
when it comes. Abraham and Sarah waited for the
promise about ten years, at length they thought on
a way to hasten it. Gen. xvi. That soon took, in
the birth of Ishmael, but he was not the promised
son. They were coming into extreme old age ere
the promise brought forth, Gen. xviii. 11. But
when it came, they got it with an addition of the
renewing of their ages, Gen. xxi. 7; and xxv. 1.
The most valuable of all the promises was the long-
est in fulfilling, namely, the promise of Christ, that
was four thousand years.

6. The spiritual enemies, that flew thick about
them in the time of the darkness of the humbling
circumstances, will be scattered at this lifting up in
the promise, 1 Sam. ii. 1,5. " And Hannah prayed
and said. My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, my mouth
is enlarged over mine enemies. They that were full
have hired out themselves for bread, and they that
were hungry ceased." Formidable was Pharaoh's
host behind the Israelites, while they had the Red
Sea before them ; but when they were through the
sea, they saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.
Exod. xiv. 30. Such a sight will they that humble
themselves under humbling circumstances get of their
spiritual enemies, when the time comes for their
lifting up.

We come now to the due time of this lifting up.
That is a natural question of those who are in
humbling circumstances, " Watchman, what of the
night?" Isa. xxi. 11, 12. And we cannot answer it
to the humbled soul, but in the general.

The lifting up of the humbled will not be longsorac.

THE DUE TIME OF LIFTING UP. 151

considering the weight of the matter ; that is to say,
considering the worth and value of the lifting up of
the humble ; when it comes it can by no means be
reckoned long to the time of it. When you sow
your corn in the fields, though it does not ripen so
soon as some garden-seeds, but you wait three
months or so, you do not think the harvest long a
coming, considering the value of the crop. This
view the apostle takes of the lifting up in humbling
circumstances, 2 Cor. iv. 17. " For our light afflic-
tion, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.'' So
that a believer, looking on the promise with an eye
of faith, and perceiving its accomplishment, and the
worth of it when accomplished, may wonder it is
come so shortly. Therefore, it is determined to be
a time that comes soon, Luke xviii. 7, 8 ; soon in
respect of its weight and worth.

When the time comes, it and only it will appear
the due time. To every thing there is a season, and
a great part of wisdom lies in discerning it, and
doing things in this season thereof. And we may
be sure infinite Wisdom cannot miss the season, by
mistaking it, Deut. xxxii. 4. *' He is a rock, his
work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment."
But whatever God doth, will abide the strictest ex-
amination, in that, as all other points, Eccles. iii.
14. " I know that whatsoever God doth, it shall
be for ever; nothing can be put to it, nor any thing
taken from it: and God doth it that men may fear
before him." It is true, many times appear to us
as the due time for lifting up, which yet really is not
so, because there are some circumstances hid from
us, which render that season unfit for the thing. —
Hence, John vii. 6. " My time is not yet come, but
your time is always ready." But when all the cir-
15

152 THE DUE TIME OF LIFTING UP.

cumstances, always foreknown of God, shall come
to be opened out, and laid together before us, we
shall then see the lifting up is come in the lime
most for the honour of God and our good, and that
it would not have done so well sooner.

When the time comes that is really the due time,
the proper time for the lifting up a child of God from
his humbling circumstances, it will not be put off
one moment longer, Hab. ii. 3. " At the end it
shall speak, it will surely come, it will not tarry/'
Though it tarry, it will not linger, nor be put off
to another time. 0 what rest of heart would the
firm faith of this afford us ! there is not a child of
God but would, with the utmost earnestness, protest
against a lifting up before the due time, as against
an unripe fruit cast to him by an angry father which
would set his teeth on edge. Since it is so then,
could we firmly believe this point, that it will un-
doubtedly come in the due time, without losing of a
minute, it would afford a sound rest. It must be
so, because God has said it; were the case ever so
hopeless, were mountains of difficulties lying in the
way of it, at the appointed time it will blow. (Hebrew)
Hab. ii. 3. A metaphor from the wind rising in a
moment after a dead calm.

The humbling circumstances are ordinarily carried
to the utmost point of hopelessness before the lifting
up. The knife was at Isaac's throat before the
voice was heard. 2 Cor. i. 8, 9. " For we would
not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which
came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of mea-
sure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even
of life ; but we had the sentence of death in ourselves,
that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God,
which raiseth the dead." Things soon seem to us
arrived at that point; such is the hastiness of our

THE DUE TIME OF LIFTING UP. 153

spirits. But things may have far to go down after
we think they are at the foot of the hill. And we
are almost as little competent judges of the point of
hopelessness, as of the due time of lifting up. But
generally God carries his people's humbling circum-
stances downward, still downward, till they come to
that point.

Herein God is holding the same course which he
held in the case of the man Christ, the beloved pat-
tern copied after, in all the dispensations of Provi-
dence towards the church, and every particular
believer, Rom. viii. 29. He was all along a man of
sorrows ; as his time went on, the waters swelled
more, till he was brought to the dust of death; then
he was hurried, and the grave-stone sealed ; which
done, the world thought they were quit of him, and
he would trouble them no more. But they quite
mistook it; then, and not till then, was the due
time for lifting him up. And the most remarkable
liftings up that his people get, are fashioned after
this grand pattern.

Another end which Providence aims at, is to carry
the believer clean off his own, and all created
foundations, to fix his trust and hope in the Lord
alone, 2 Cor. i. 9. " That we should not trust in
ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead."
The life of a Christian here is designed to be a life
of faith ; and though faith may act more easily when
it has some help from sense, yet it certainly acts
most nobly when it acts in opposition to sense.
Then is it pure faith when it stands only on its own
native legs, the power and word of God, Rom. iv.
19, 20. "And being not weak in faith, he consi-
dered not his own body now dead — neither yet the
deadness of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at
the promise of God through unbelief; but was

154 PREPARATION OF HEART NECESSARY.

Strong in faith, giving glory to God. And thus it
must do, when matters are carried to the utmost point
of hopelessness.

Again, due preparation of the heart, for the lifting
up out of the humbling circumstances, goes before
the due time of that lifting up, according to the pro-
mise. It is not so in every lifting up; the liftings
up of common providences are not so critically
managed; men will have them, will wait^for them
no longer, and God flings them in anger, ere they
are prepared for them, Hos. xiii. 11. *' I gave
thee a king in mine anger." They can by no
means abide the trial, and God takes them off as
reprobate silver that is not able to abide it, Jer. vi.
29, 30.

This due preparation consists in a due humiliation,
Psa. X. 17. And it often takes much work to bring
about this, which is another point that we are very
incompetent judges of. We should have thought
Job was brought very low in his spirit, by the pro-
vidence of God bruising him on the one hand, and
his friends on the other, for a long tjme : yet, after
all that he had endured both ways, God saw it neces-
sary to speak to him himself, for his humiliation,
chap, xxxviii. 1. By that speech of God himself,
he was brought to his knees, chap. xl. 4, 5. And
we should have thought he was then sufficiently
humbled, and perhaps he thought so too. But God
saw a further degree of humiliation necessary, and
therefore begins again to speak for his humiliation,
which at length laid him in the dust, chap. xlii. 5, 6.
And when he was thus prepared for lifting up, he
got it.

There are six things, I conceive, belong to this
humiliation, preparatory to lifting up.

1. A deep sense of sinfulness and unworlhiness

RESIGNATION TO THE WILL OF GOD 155

of being lifted up at all, Job xl. 4. " Behold I am
vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine
hand upon my mouth." People may be long in
humbling circumstances, ere they be brought this
length ; even good men are much prejudiced in
their own behalf, and may so far forget themselves
as to think God deals his favours unequally, and is
mighty severe on them more than others. Elihu
raarketh this fault in Job, under his humbling cir-
cumstances. Job xxxiii. 8 — 12. And I beheve it
will be found, there is readily a greater keenness to
vindicate our own honour from the imputation the
humbling circumstances seem to lay upon it, than to
vindicate the honour of God in the justice and equity
of the dispensation. The blindness of an ill-natured
world, still ready to suspect the worst causes for
humbling circumstances, as if the greatest sufferers
were surely the greatest sinners, Luke xiii. 4, gives
a handle for this bias of the corrupt nature. — But
God is a jealous God, and when he appears suffi-
ciently to humble, he will cause the matter of our
honour to give way to the vindication of his.

2. A resignation to the divine pleasure as to the
time of lifting up. God gives the promise, leaving
the time blank as to us. Our time is always ready,
and we rashly fill it up at our own hand. God does
not keep our time, because it is not the due time.
Hence we are ready to think his word fails ; whereas
it is but our own rash conclusion from it that fails,
Psal. cxvi. 11. "I said in my haste. All men are
liars." Several of the saints have suffered much by
this means, and thereby learned to let alone filling
up that blank. The first promise was thus used by
believing Eve, Gen. iv. 1. Another promise was so
by believing Abraham, after about ten years' waiting.
Gen. xvi.

15*

156 RESIGNATION TO THE WILL OF GOD.

If this be the case of any child of God, let them
not be discouraged upon it, thinking they were over-
rash in applying the promise to themselves : they
were only so in applying the time to the promise;
a mistake that saints in all ages have made, which
they repented, and saw the folly of, and let alone
that point for the time to come ; and then the pro-
mise was fulfdled in its own due time. Let them
in such circumstances go and do likewise, leaving
the time entirely to the Lord.

3. An entire resignation as to the way and man-
ner of bringing it about. We are ready to do, as to
the way of accomplishing the promise, just as with
the time of it, to set a particular way for the Lord's
working of it ; and if that be not kept, the proud
heart is stumbled, 2 Kings v. IL "But Naaman
was wroth, and he went away, and said, Behold, I
thought he will surely come out to me, and stand and
call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his
hand over the place." But the Lord will have his
people broken off from that too, that they shall pre-
scribe no way to him, but leave it to him entirely, as
in that case, ver. 14. " He went down and dipped
himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying
of the man of God, — and he was clean." The com-
pass of our knowledge of ways and means is very
narrow, as, if one is blocked up, ofltimes we cannot
see another; but our God knows many ways of re-
lief, where we know but one or none at all: and it is
very usual for the Lord to bring the lifting up of his
people inra way they had no view to, after repeated
disappointments from those quarters whence they
had great expectation.

4. Resignation as to the degree of the lifting up,
yea, and as to the very being of it in time. The
Lord will have his people weaned so, that however

PATIENT WAITING ON GOD. 157

hasty they have sometimes been, that they behoved
to be so soon lifted up, and could no longer bear,
they shall be brought at length to set no time at all,
but submit to go to the grave under their weight, if
it seem good in the Lord's eyes ; and in that case
they will be brought to be content with any measure
of it in time, without prescribing how much, 2 Sam.
XV. 25, 26. " If I shall find favour in the eyes of the
Lord, he will bring me again — But if he thus say, I
have no delight in thee ; behold, here am I, let him
do as seemeth good unto him."

5. The continuing of praying and waiting on the
Lord in the case, Eph. vi. 18. " Praying always
with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance." It is
pride of heart, and unsubduedness of spirit, that
makes people give over praying and waiting, be-
cause their humbling circumstances are lengthened
out time after time, 2 Kings vi. 33. But due humi-
lity, going before the lifting up, brings men into
that temper, to pray, wait, and hang on resolutely,
setting no time for the giving it over till the lifting
up come, whether in time or eternity. Lam. iii.
49, 50.

6. Mourning under mismanagements in the trial,
Job xlii. 3. " Therefore have I uttered that I un-
derstood not, things too wonderful for me, which I
knew not." The proud heart dwells and expatiates
on the man's sufferings in the trial, and casts out all
the folds of the trial, on that side, and views them
again and again. But when the Spij-it of God comes
duly to humble, in order to lifting up, he will cause
the man to pass, in a sort, the sutTering side of the
trial, and turn his eyes on his own conduct in it,
ransack it, judge himself impartially, and condemn
himself, so that his mouth will be stopt. This is

158 THE FINAL LIFTING UP.

that humility that goeth before the lifting up in time
in the way of the promise.

We proceed to consider the lifting up as brought
about at the end of time in the other world, And,

1st. A word as to the nature of this lifting up.
Concerning it we shall say these five things :

1. There is a certainty of this lifting up, in all
cases of the humbled under humbling circumstannes.
Though one cannot, in every case, make them sure
of a lifting up in time, yet they may be assured, be
the case what it' may, they will without all perad-
venture, get a lifting up on the other side, 2 Cor.
V. I. "For we know, that if our earthly house of
this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of
God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens." Though God's humble children may
both breakfast and dine on bread of adversity, and
water of affliction, they will be sure to sup sweetly
and plentifully. And the believing expectation of
the latter might serve to qualify the former, and make
them easy under it.

2. It will be a perfect lifting up, Heb. xii. 22.
They will be perfectly delivered out of their parti-
cular trials and special furnace, be what it will, that
made them wear}^ many a day. Lazarus was then
delivered from his poverty and sores, and lying at
the rich man's gate, Luke xvi. 22, and fully deli-
vered. Yea, they will get a lifting up from all their
humbling circumstances together. All imperfections
will then be at an end, inferiority in relations, con-
tradictions, afflictions, uncertainty, and sin. If it
was long in coming, there will be a blessed moment
when they shall get altogether.

3. They will not only be raised out of their low
condition, but they will be set up on high, as Jo-
seph ; not only brought out of prison, but made

THE FINAL LIFTING UP. 159

ruler over the land of Egypt. And they will be
lifted up into a high place, Luke xvi. 22. "The
beggar died, and was carried by the angels into
Abraham's bosom." Now they are at best but in a
low place, upon this earth ; there they will be seated
in the highest heavens, Phil. i. 23, with Eph. iv. 10.
Often in their humbling circumstances, they are
obliged now to embrace dunghills; then they will be
set with Christ on his throne. Rev. iii. 21. '♦ To him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my
throne." Though they now cleave to the earth, and
men say, Bow down, that we may pass over you,
they will then be settled in the heavenly mansions,
above the sun, moon, and stars. They will also be
lifted up into a high state and condition, a state of
perfection. Out of all their troubles and uneasiness,
they will be set in a state of rest ; from their mean
and inglorious condition, they will be advanced into
a state of glory ; their burdened and sorrowful life
will be succeeded with a fulness of joy ; and, for their
humbling circumstances, they will be clothed with
eternal glory and honour.

4. It will be a final lifting up, after which there
will be no more casting down for ever, Rev. vii. 16.
When we get a lifting up in time, we are apt to ima-
gine fondly we are at the end of our trials; but we
soon find we are too hasty in our conclusions, and
the cloud returns, Psal. xxx. 6,7. "In my pros-
perity I said, I shall never be moved. Thou didst
hide thy face, and I was troubled.'' But then in-
deed the trial is quite over, the fight is at an end,
and then is the time of the retribution and triumph.

5. There will not be the least remaining uneasi-
ness from the humbling circumstances, but, on the
contrary, they will have a glorious and desirable
effect. I make no question but the saints will have

160 THE FINAL LIFTING UP.

the remembrance of the humbling circumstances
they were under here bek)w. Did the rich man in
hell remember his having five brethren on the earth,
how sumptuously he fared, how Lazarus sat at his
gate ; and can we doubt but the saints will remem-
ber perfectly their heavy trials ! Rev. vi. 10. But
then they will remember them as waters that fail ;
as the man recovered to health remembers his toss-
ings on the sick bed ; and that is a way of remem-
bering that sweetens the present state of health be-
yond what otherwise it would be. Certainly the
shore of the Red Sea was the place that, of all
places, was the fittest to help the Israelites to sing
in the highest key. And the humbling circumstances
of saints on the earth will be of the same use to them
in heaven. Rev. xv. 3.

2dly. A word to the due time of this lifting up.
— There is a particular, definite time for it in every
saint's case, which is the due time, but it is hid from
us. We can only say in general.

1. Then is the due time for it, when our work we
have to do in this world is over. God has appointed
to everyone his task, fight, trial, and work; and,
till that is done, we are in a sort immortal, John ix.
4, and xi. 9. That work is.

Doing work ; work set to us, by the great Master,
to be done for the honour of God and the good of
our fellow-creatures, Eccl. ix. 10. We must be
content to be doing on, even in our humbling cir-
cumstances till that be done out. It is not the due
time for that lifting up, till we are at the end of that
work and so have served our generation. And it is.

Suffering work. There is a certain portion of
suff'ering that is allotted for the mystical body ; the
head has divided to the several members their
proportions thereof; and it is not the due time for

THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE WHOLE. 161

that lifting up, till we have exhausted the share
thereof allotted to us. Paul looked on his life as a
going on in that, Col. i. 24.

2. When that lifting up comes, we shall see it is
come exactly in the due time ; that it was well it
was neither sooner nor later ; for though heaven is
always better than earth and that it would be better
for us, absolutely speaking, to be in heaven than on
earth, yet certainly there is a time wherein it is
better, for the honour of God, and his service, that
we be on the earth than in heaven, Phil. i. 24. ** Ne-
vertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for
you." And it will be no grief of heart to them when
there, that they were so long in their humbling cir-
cumstances, and were not brought sooner.

Use 1. Let not then the humble cast away their con-
fidence, whatever their humbling circumstances be ;
let them assure themselves there will come a lifting
up to them at length ; if not here, yet to be sure
hereafter. Let them keep this in their view, and
comfort themselves with it, for God has said it,
Psal. ix. 18. "The needy shall not always be for-
gotten." If the night were ever so long, the morn-
ing will come at length.

2. Let patience have her perfect work. The
husbandman waits for the return of his seed, the
merchant for the return of his ships, the store-master
for what he calls year-time, when he draws in the
produce of his flocks. All these have long patience,
and why should not the Christian too have patience,
and patiently wait for the time appointed for his
lifting up ?

Ye have heard much of the Crook in the Lot ;
the excellency of humbleness of spirit in a low lot,
beyond pride of spirit, though joined with a high
one : — Ye have been called to humble yourselves in

162 THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE WHOLE.

your humbling circumstances, and have been assured
in that case of a lifting up. To conclude: we may-
assure ourselves, God will at length break in pieces
the proud, be they ever so high ; and he will tri-
umphantly lift up the humble, be they ever so low.

THE END.